This Is Why You Crave Cuddles And Comfort Food In The Winter 

As soon as the temperatures drop and the sun goes down well before your day is done, something predictable happens: You crave carbs, cozy blankets, early bedtimes, and the people you love most. The internet dubs this time of year “cuffing season,” and there’s actually a very real physiological shift happening behind the scenes.

When daylight gets shorter, your brain doesn’t just notice—it actually recalibrates, explains Brittany Michels, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., C.P.T., a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and nutritionist for The Vitamin Shoppe. “Our bodies react to both environmental and hormonal cues, and when sunlight drops, the neurotransmitters that regulate mood and energy get less stimulation,” she says. 

So no, it’s not your imagination; you really are sleepier, hungrier, and feeling more “please hug me and bring me soup” than usual. 

There’s also an evolutionary component at play here. For much of human history, winter meant fewer food sources and lower temperatures, so rich meals and social closeness were required for survival. “Heavier, calorie-dense foods were of benefit during colder months, providing energy stores to maintain body temperature when food was scarcer,” Michels says. Today, those instincts show up as cravings for mac and cheese and hot chocolate, and nights spent burrowed under a blanket with someone you love.

Here’s a closer look at exactly what’s happening in your body during winter, why the pull toward comfort is biologically hardwired, and science-backed ways to maintain your energy, stay grounded, and feel emotionally steady through the dark months. 

• ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Brittany Michels, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., C.P.T., is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and nutritionist for The Vitamin Shoppe. Sunjya Schweig, M.D., is an integrative family physician and founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine. Tansy Rodgers, F.N.T.P., is a functional nutritional therapy practitioner.

Winter Weather Shifts Your Physiology

Ever wonder why winter seems to flip a switch in your brain? You can thank shifts in daylight for that.

“When daylight hits your eyes, it sends signals to your brain’s internal clock, which then sets off a cascade that affects everything from cortisol to body temperature,” says Sunjya Schweig, M.D., an integrative family physician and founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine. “Shorter days essentially tell that clock, ‘It’s winter now,’ and your whole system responds accordingly.” 

For starters, serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that helps keep you upbeat, naturally dips as the days get shorter and there’s less sunlight. Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, so when levels fall, your body instinctively seeks out meals that will boost tryptophan and help bring serotonin back up, Michels says. In particular, you may crave rich, cozy protein-carb combos, like turkey and stuffing, pot roast with potatoes, or even warm toast with melty peanut butter.

Vitamin D is also involved here. “Vitamin D receptors live in areas of the brain that regulate emotion, and research suggests low levels can amplify carb cravings as your body looks for quick ways to boost serotonin,” says Michels. “When vitamin D dips, it becomes even harder for your brain to regulate tryptophan-to-serotonin conversion, making comfort foods feel especially irresistible.” Obviously, levels of the sunshine vitamin trend lower during winter, leaving you with changes in mood, cravings, and energy. 

Dopamine, your brain’s reward-and-motivation messenger, also tends to drop. When it slides, so does your drive, which is why you suddenly care a lot less about productivity and a lot more about whatever feels good right now. “Winter can alter both dopamine activity and how sensitive your receptors are,” says Schweig. “That combination explains why tasks feel harder, and rewards like food, scrolling, or cozy downtime can feel even more compelling.”

Read More: 5 Healthy Ways To Trigger A Dopamine Rush

Unsurprisingly, melatonin, the hormone responsible for helping you fall and stay asleep (among other things), is also impacted by the change in season. When it gets dark earlier, levels of the sleep hormone rise earlier in the evening, hence why you might suddenly feel ready for bed the minute you finish dinner, Schweig suggests.

And now the part we don’t talk about enough: Our modern Western way of life kind of sets us up to struggle here. Even though our biology is wired to shift with the seasons, many areas of society expect us to feel, perform, and behave the same 365 days a year. In other words, we keep the same work hours and routines, and expect the same productivity, despite our internal clocks pulling us toward slower, more comforting rhythms, shares Schweig. 

How to Support Your Mood and Energy in the Winter

Winter cravings and sluggishness aren’t signs that your willpower is out the window; they’re a totally normal response to a new season. It’s totally okay (and even healthy) to lean into some of these seasonal shifts, says Schweig. Still, the right support can help keep you from sliding into the winter blues or full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). You might not be able to change the shorter days or colder temps, but you can give your body the inputs it needs using these science-backed tips. 

1. Maximize Your Exposure to Sunlight

Wintertime indeed means less sunlight throughout the day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your fair share. In fact, even 10 to 30 minutes outside (even when it’s cloudy) is enough to help regulate serotonin and melatonin levels, according to Michels. Schweig recommends aiming for bright light exposure within an hour of waking, because this is when your brain’s clock is most responsive and you’ll get the biggest payoff in alertness and mood.

If you live somewhere with limited winter sunlight or you’re often indoors, Michels suggests using a light therapy lamp, which can mimic the benefits of the actual sun.

2. Prioritize Tryptophan-Rich Protein And Healthy Carbs

Foods like lean meats, eggs, dairy, beans, nuts, and seeds all contain tryptophan, the amino acid your body can’t make but relies on to produce serotonin, Michels explains. 

Turns out, the carbs you crave actually help tryptophan get to work in your brain. “Pairing tryptophan-rich foods with slower-burning carbs like sweet potatoes, whole grains, or root veggies triggers a small rise in insulin that helps tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier more easily,” explains functional nutritional therapy practitioner Tansy Rodgers, F.N.T.P. “This allows your brain to convert tryptophan into serotonin.” 

Read More: The Real Reasons For Winter Weight Gain

Rodgers recommends cozy, winter-friendly meals like meat- and bean-based chili, roasted veggie and quinoa bowls, or eggs with whole-grain toast to support both mood and energy.

3. Add in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s—found in foods like fatty fish, pastured dairy, walnuts, flaxseeds, and eggs—have been shown to help with mood, focus, and even cravings triggered by low sunlight exposure. “They support those feel-good serotonin and dopamine pathways that tend to dip in the winter,” says Michels. 

If salmon and sardines aren’t your thing, opt for a high-quality omega-3 supplement instead. Michels suggests aiming for around 1,000 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA daily, taken with food, to support mood, concentration, and overall brain function during the darker months.

4. Move Your Body Regularly

You don’t need a color-coded training schedule or hour-long workouts to cash in on the mood-boosting benefits of movement. In fact, even small, consistent bursts of activity can have a powerful impact on your winter chemistry. Brisk indoor walks, 10-minute strength circuits, yoga flows, or a quick mobility session between meetings all stimulate the same key neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine that tend to dip when daylight disappears, according to Michels. 

Movement also increases blood flow to the brain, which helps you think more clearly when winter sluggishness tries to set in, adds Rodgers. Plus, it helps keep the stress hormone cortisol at bay, leaving you more grounded and less reactive (a very welcome shift during the darker, busier months).

5. Tap Into Your Social Connections

Winter doesn’t just make you want more closeness—it biologically nudges you toward it. When daylight drops and serotonin dips, your body looks for other ways to create that “steady and safe” feeling, explains Michels. “Physical touch, warm beverages, and social interactions stimulate oxytocin and endorphin release,” she says. Simple acts like sharing a warm meal with friends offer a two-for-one benefit, providing emotional satisfaction and the nourishment your feel-good hormones require.

6. Support Your Nervous System in Small Ways

When it’s darker and colder outside, and your brain is running on lower serotonin and higher melatonin, your nervous system naturally feels a bit more overwhelmed, explains Rodgers. The comfort food cravings that result are often truly cravings for regulation.

The good news? You can get the same grounding effect from simple daily practices that don’t involve standing in front of the pantry. “Tools like body scans, gentle stretching, journaling, or a few minutes of intentional breathing can start to give you that same feeling,” she says. 

Science backs this up: One 2024 study published in the journal Critical Care Explorations found that brief mindfulness exercises (think slow breathing or a short body scan) lowered stress-related physiological markers and improved emotional regulation.

The Bottom Line

So now you know that those cravings and behavior tendencies you have during winter are far from some personal failing—they’re wired into your biology. In other words, your body’s doing exactly what it’s designed to do when your world gets darker and colder. With a little strategy (and a lot of compassion), you can work with those shifts instead of fighting them so you can feel your best through ‘til springtime.