Issue #409: Overcoming Winter Fatigue
Good morning. It’s Friday, December 6th.
In today’s email:
Learn: Winter Fatigue
Move: Thoracic Extension
In the News: The Future of Energy
Brain Games: Kyudoku
Stat of the Day
Think it’s too cold to run? The best temp to run for average runners is 43°F (ok - women actually prefer 44°). The best runners in the world do best when it’s 39°F.
Check out this cold weather tip from BYU - which just won the NCAA Cross Country national championships for both men and women, so they must know something. (Marathon Handbook)
Learn
Winter Fatigue
With the calendar turning to December the cold weather has even hit Florida.
(I’ll let you decide if a high of 64°F and low of 42°F is “cold”).
The combination of short days and colder temps seems to slow us down. It’s not as easy to get up and run when you gotta bundle up and head out into the dark before the sun rises. It’s not as easy to go for that post-dinner walk before calling it a day.
Better to just sleep in under the covers and chill on the couch with Netflix.
This inactivity and “comfort food” leads to most of us putting on a few pounds during the winter. It’s true - adults, on average, gain 1-2 pounds in the winter. It might not sound like a lot, but most of us don’t lose that added weight in the spring/summer and this is what accumulates over time.
Evolution
Humans, like all animals, adapt in order to survive. For most of our existence, we faced life and death threats on a daily basis.
We were always grappling with the need to avoid starvation vs. the need not to gain so much weight that we increased our risk of becoming prey ourselves.
But evolution is all about urgency - what’s the most important risk to avoid RIGHT NOW. That’s why avoiding starvation always wins out.
Studies show that our desire to eat whenever food is available is even stronger in cold months. That’s because we’re ingrained with hundreds of thousands of years of genetics telling us there isn’t much food right now (in winter), so we better eat as much as we can.
Our bodies further evolved so our cells can store more fat when exposed to less sunlight. It’s really a genius way evolution has helped us survive those lean times. We have more stored energy on our body in case we can’t find new sources of food.
But I’m So Tired
And - we do crave more sleep this time of year. Modern hunter-gatherer societies sleep, on average, one hour more in the winter.
And studies show that we get 30 minutes more REM in the winter, compared to summer months.
REM is tied to our circadian clock - see all sleep stages HERE. While we don’t just sleep when it’s dark (even those hunter-gatherers stay up for 3 hours after sunset), the shorter, colder days do push us and keep us in bed a little longer.
So while humans don’t truly “hibernate” - we do eat more, sleep more, and keep on more fat.
Quick aside about hibernation - we evolved from ancestors in sub-Saharan Africa. So there wasn’t a long winter that required us to hibernate. Humans can’t hibernate because we can’t lower our body temperature low enough - we have very strict temperature bands to survive.
But that’s not stopping scientists from NASA investigating how we might be able to hibernate so that it would help us travel long distances through space.
Winter in 2025
Fortunately, we’re not going to starve this winter. So we need to overcome a bit of our evolution and not be beholden to gaining weight or losing our metabolic fitness.
Some things to do this year in the cold weather:
First - lean into sleep. If you’re feeling a little sluggish during the day, find an extra 30-60 minutes for sleep based on your chronotype (early riser, late night owl) and what’s possible with your schedule.
Second - keep moving. Don’t let the cold or the dark keep you from working out. There’s always enough layers to get outside or hit up the gym.
Finally - indulge intelligently. Enjoy the holiday party. Bake cookies with your kids. It’s good to embrace the good vibes of the season - but keep it for special occasions and get back on eating real food full of protein and fiber to keep you feeling full.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Feel Your Best on the Field With Nike Kylian Mbappé Collection.
Discover the Nike Kylian Mbappé collection, crafted for players ready to take their skills to the next level. Featuring standout styles like the Vapor and Superfly, these boots combine cutting-edge technology with eye-catching designs inspired by the pros. Experience the game-changing Air Zoom unit for explosive acceleration and a responsive touch, whether you’re making that perfect through ball or striking from distance. Treat yourself to a fresh pair from the collection and dominate the pitch. You deserve to feel your best on the field.
Move
Thoracic Extension
This movement helps improve your posture, boost spinal mobility, and keep back pain in check. Even if you’re not getting out into the snow - it’s something we can be doing every day to stay mobile during the winter.
H&L in the News
The Future of Energy?: Scientists have enabled animal cells to photosynthesize, a breakthrough that could transform artificial meat, organ growth, and sustainable energy production. (WIRED)
When Ribosomes Rebel: Variations in ribosomes, our cells’ protein factories, can disrupt development and drive cancer. But understanding these “rogue ribosomes” may open doors to new medical breakthroughs. (Knowable)
Calm Under Pressure: Discover how elite Navy rescue swimmers like Bill Gibson stay calm in life-or-death situations, using grit and critical thinking to overcome fear - skills we can all apply to life's chaotic moments (Big Think). Remember, perception is reality (#265-267).
Brain Games
Kyudoku
It’s kyoduku time! Kyudoku is a 6x6 grid where you need to use logic to find nine unique numbers (1 to 9) so that each row and column has a sum of 9 or less. The 8 highlighted in yellow is given.
Here’s a little help to get started. Because we know 8 is given, we can’t use 8 again (gray boxes) and we can also eliminate any numbers that would make the sum of the row or column with the given 1 more than 9 (blue boxes). Good luck!
Credit: Brainzilla
**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the post
Product Recs
♨️ Caraway - good looking, clean cooking. Non-toxic cookware made modern - non-toxic cooking surfaces and thoughtful design lead to cleaner cooking. Click HERE to cook with confidence
🦱 Huron - science-backed, clean ingredients, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free. Luxury performance designed for the everyday guy ready to level up his game (see the founder in Issue #91). Max is into the deoderant, face wash, and jumbo shower kit. Ready to clean up your act? Get 15% off now - click here!
💊 Momentous - unlock your peak performance with Momentous supplements: scientifically proven, clinically backed, and patented formulas. Enjoy a 15% discount off the entire product portfolio. Use code Thrive at checkout. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your performance journey - shop now!
🥦 SANS - eating REAL FOOD on the go is hard. Most packaged food is full of added sugar, fake sugar, weird flavors and a host of ingredients most of us can't even pronounce. SANS Meal Bar is the answer. A meal replacement bar made from only REAL FOOD ingredients. Get $10 off by following this link or using code MAX50998
Thanks for another great week!
Want to see what we’re up to? Sign up for early access to our platform
Check out the latest videos on our YouTube channel
Got feedback, recommendations or stories to share? Tell us what’s on your mind here
Want this direct to your inbox? Sign up here
** Brain Games Answer **
Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
Sign up for free:
The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.