The Nervous System in November: Why Slowing Down Isn’t Failing
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, many people notice a shift; lower energy, less motivation, or a quiet heaviness that’s hard to explain. It’s tempting to call this laziness or a slump, but what’s actually happening runs deeper than that.
Your body is responding to the season.
Our nervous systems are cyclical, just like the natural world around us. As daylight fades and temperatures drop, your body begins to conserve energy, moving you toward a slower, more restorative state. This isn’t regression; it’s rhythm.
Your Body Is Seasonal, Too
We often forget that we’re part of nature, not separate from it. Trees shed their leaves to preserve energy. Animals adjust their sleep patterns. And our bodies, through subtle hormonal and neurological shifts, do the same.
As daylight decreases, so does exposure to sunlight, which influences melatonin (sleep regulation) and serotonin (mood stability). These changes naturally affect how alert, social, or driven we feel.
You might notice:
Wanting to sleep more or rest earlier in the evening
Feeling less motivated for social events or productivity
Craving heavier foods or warm, cozy meals
Becoming more emotionally tender or nostalgic
These patterns don’t mean you’re doing something wrong. They mean your nervous system is doing its job. Adjusting, recalibrating, and inviting you to slow down.
Rest Is a Form of Regulation
So many of us have learned to ignore these signals. We push through fatigue, overcommit during the holidays, and call rest a reward instead of a need. But nervous system health isn’t about staying “on.” It’s about being flexible, moving between activation and rest with ease.
Rest isn’t regression.
It’s integration.
Rest is when your body processes stress, consolidates memory, restores hormonal balance, and prepares you for future growth. It’s not weakness. It’s maintenance.
When you start to see rest as part of emotional regulation, you stop battling the body’s wisdom and start partnering with it.
A Gentle Reflection
Ask yourself:
What would it look like to let my nervous system set the pace this month?
This might mean sleeping in, saying no to one invitation, or allowing yourself to feel slower without guilt. It might mean noticing your body’s cues, tension in your shoulders, a heavy exhale, and treating them as invitations, not inconveniences.
A Simple Grounding Practice
Try this before bed or after a long day:
Dim the lights 30 minutes earlier than usual.
Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
Breathe slowly. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Letting each exhale be slightly longer than your inhale.
Notice where you’re holding tension. Imagine sending warmth and softness there as you exhale.
Just a few minutes of this practice helps your body transition out of “doing” mode and into regulation.
Listening Instead of Fixing
This time of year, many people feel discomfort around slowing down. Old patterns, perfectionism, guilt, people-pleasing, can resurface as you try to rest. Therapy can be a supportive space to explore those reactions, to understand them instead of fighting them.
You don’t need to fix your nervous system this season.
You just need to listen to it.
