"Dear Elmira, I feel exhausted all the time. No matter how much I rest, I wake up tired. What’s wrong with me?” - Steve Weary Winters
Dear Steve Weary,
Beloved, this tiredness you feel isn’t failure—it’s feedback. Your body isn’t betraying you; it’s begging you to listen. The shortening of the days pulls not only the sun inward but our spirits too. When the light changes, our rhythm changes too. And many of us forget that our souls need rest just as much as our schedules do.
Let’s talk plainly first. When daylight fades, serotonin dips and melatonin spikes—your chemistry literally shifts with the season. That weariness is nature’s nudge to slow down. Give yourself sunlight first thing in the morning or use a light therapy lamp. Eat warm, grounding foods—root vegetables, soups, a little ghee. Move your body gently each day; even a few minutes of breathwork or yoga tells your cells, “We are here!”
Now, let’s go deeper. When I sat in Sadhguru’s darshan last weekend, someone asked about this same fatigue. He smiled that knowing smile and said, “If you are connected to the source of life, you will never run out of energy.” Tiredness, he explained, is often not a lack of sleep—it’s a lack of connection. The prana or life force, gets tangled in overthinking, overstimulation and doing too much that doesn’t feed the spirit.
So when you feel drained, don’t just rest—reconnect. Step into sunlight and let your skin breathe. Do Surya Namaskar or a simple breath of fire to wake up your inner sun. Light a candle or sesame oil lamp at dusk and let it mirror the flame inside you. Try abhyanga—a warm sesame oil massage before your shower.
And above all, release the shame around being tired. Even the Earth rests in winter. The seed beneath the frost isn’t failing—it’s preparing.
If your spirit’s flame feels dim, come see us at MIRASPA this season. Our movement, meditation, and massage offerings are designed to restore your light from the inside out. Because your glow matters.
With Warmth and Light,
Elmira
