It’s that time of year, when the summer rays fade and the skies darken with increasing haste. So many people dread the end of the warmer months, but I embrace the darkness, and welcome the cooler evenings and longer nights.
Summer is a time of busyness – socialising, spending time outdoors, working on garden projects – but, for me, winter is a time when I can unapologetically slow down.
How to Enjoy the Dark Winter Days:
I’m a classic introvert and can find the social aspect of everyday life quite draining. I like always having a purpose, but when the life gets too hectic it makes me feel trapped and anxious. The slower pace of winter allows me to declutter my thoughts and restore calmness to my body and mind. I use the time to organise my physical world too, clearing out cupboards, sorting out old clothes and streamlining the way I run the household (there’s a reason why the saying exists: ‘A Tidy House is a Tidy Mind’).
At the risk of sounding a teensy bit obsessed, I also love getting the house ready for the colder months. I start with a bedding overhaul, swapping the cotton bedspread for a thick, feather duvet and my crisp white cover for a dusky purple linen one. Over top I stretch a deliciously thick faux fur throw, and finish with some jewel-coloured cushions.
A couple of years ago I realised a decorating dream of mine and pained my bedroom in colour-matched Farrow & Ball Off-Black. It’s not a huge room so I was nervous it would be too much, but I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the brooding Scandi result.
I adore it in summer, when the room fills with all-day sun, but in winter the space really comes into its own. This is how to enjoy the dark winter days – I shut the door (with kids firmly on the other side), let down the double roller blind and flick on the bedside light, filling the room with soft, warm light. I snuggle into the blankets, load the latest Nordic Noir series on Netflix and luxuriate in my calm, cosy oasis. The fact it’s pitch-black outside just adds to the ambience; I embrace the darkness and don’t guilty that I’m hibernating in my room.
Technology has brightened up our lives – literally. Our ancestors survived by the tracking the heavens, sleeping and waking with the sun, and using the stars to mark the passing of time and, later, to navigate the world. As society became more civilised, the shorter days of winter became a hindrance and we began to find ways to offset the darkness.
Back in 1417, the Mayor of London asked all homes to hang lanterns outside their homes between Halloween and Candlemass, at the start of February. Over time became compulsory for homes to put out lanterns on dark nights to illuminate the streets and cobbled lanes. Eventually, this was replaced with formal street lighting.
Today, street lights, billboards and shop signs are found in most populated areas, increasing safety and allowing a modern 24-hour lifestyle. This illuminated life allows us to enjoy the dark winter days, but has a downside too. When we banish the darkness, we’re tampering with nature: our bodies and circadian rhythms are synchronised to sleep when it’s dark and wake when it’s light. So what happens when we dilute that darkness with artificial lighting and the constant glow of television and smartphone screens?
With such huge environment changes in such a short timeframe, it’s no coincidence that insomnia and anxiety are on the increase as our bodies struggle to adjust to new rhythms, and a faster pace of life.
Luckily, relief can often be found with the simplest solutions – going for a walk, or taking a bath, or curling up with a book. In the middle of lockdown, when the world seemed really scary and strange, I took solace from going out into the inky darkness of our back garden and staring up at the stars. There was something comforting about looking up at that sparkling night sky and realising I was part of something vast and never ending.
We’ve been conditioned – not always wrongly – to view darkness with trepidation. We’re told to stick to lit pathways when walking home, in case danger lurks in the shadows. Religion talks of ‘casting out the darkness’, and associates white with goodness and black with evil. When we’re grumpy, we’re in a dark mood; to feel depressed is to be in a dark place.
Embrace the Darkness:
But darkness can be soothing and healing too. Think about those sleepy evenings when you flick off your bedside lamp and give yourself up to the delicious darkness . Our bodies heal and grow in the dark while we sleep. Dreams come, and help us process emotions we might not even realise we’re experiencing.
Music sounds infinitely better with the lights off, as if losing one sense makes you double down on the others. And have you ever laid in the dimming light, not quite awake or asleep, thoughts swirling and condensing in your head? Some of my biggest life decisions have been made in those shadowy moments, when my mind has a chance to wander freely.
It’s human nature to show off our best attributes and hide the not-so-great ones, but by taking time to acknowledge the ‘darker’ aspects of our character we can shine a light on the habits and behaviours we’re not so proud of. That increased self awareness can help us address or even overcome them, allowing us to heal old wounds and grow into better, happier people.
Another way to enjoy the dark winter nights is to view them as a time of peaceful introspection – a chance to slow down and catch your breath, and figure out your next steps in life.
The shortest day of the year (usually the 21st or 22nd of December in the Northern Hemisphere, and also known as astronomical winter) is often viewed with dread, but rather than lamenting the lack of sunlight hours, we should embrace the inky darkness of the longest night. In many ancient civilisations this day was one of banquets and wild celebrations, as it marked the ‘turning of the sun’, when the earth began turning back towards her warming rays.
So, the next time your heart sinks at the thought of shorter days, think instead about all the possibilities that lie in those shadowy hours for reflection, celebration and personal growth.
Welcome the fading light and embrace the darkness.
• if you liked reading how to embrace the darkness and enjoy the dark winter days, you might also like ‘How to Cope with the 24/7 Demands of Parenting when you’re an Introvert‘
Images courtesy of Gabriele Motter on Unsplash, Stephanie McCabe on Unsplash, Tim Umphreys on Unsplash, Josh Nuttall on Unsplash, Jonatan Pie on Unsplash, Yuzki Wang on Unsplash, Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
