As we move into winter, Chinese medicine teaches us that we’re entering the most Yin time of the entire year. This is a season of stillness, quiet, and turning inward.

Winter is known as the season of storage. Just as trees draw their nourishment inward, storing energy deep in their roots, our bodies are designed to conserve energy now. This is the time when we store and protect the Yang energy - the deep warmth, vitality, and spark we will rely on once spring’s rising energy begins to stir.

And because winter holds such wisdom, there is a great deal we can do to support our bodies, minds, and spirits so we feel nourished rather than depleted by the darker months.

How to Support Yourself in Winter: Chinese Medicine Practices

1. Nourish Your Yang & Support Kidney Qi Through Food

In Chinese medicine, winter corresponds with the Kidneys, our deepest energy reserves. This is the time to strengthen and warm them.

Choose foods that are warming, grounding, and easy to digest:

Lamb, beef, chicken, venison
Shrimp, mussels
Mushrooms, soya beans
Walnuts, almonds, peanuts
Chestnuts, sweet potatoes

Avoid foods that strain your digestive system - raw, cold, greasy, overly spicy, or overly sweet. If you experience digestive issues, this becomes especially important. Think: slow cooking, soups, stews, broths, congee.

2. Honour Rest as a Healing Practice

Winter invites us to sleep more.
Go to bed early. Rise a bit later if you can.
Allow yourself guilt-free naps.

Create pockets of quiet wherever possible - through reflection, journaling, meditation, or simply doing nothing for a while.
Let your days mirror the Yin quality of the season.

3. Move Gently, Not Forcefully

This is not the time for sweating - remember, it’s the season of storage.

Instead, choose:

Slow walks
Qi Gong
Gentle stretching
Restorative yoga

Choose movement that gets your qi flowing but doesn’t deplete you. Exercise should feel supportive, not draining.

4. Keep Key Areas of your Body Warm

Cold and wind can easily penetrate the body in winter, weakening the Kidneys and lowering immunity. Protect these areas:

i) The Neck
Wind can enter the body at the neck and lead to stiffness, headaches, and lingering colds.
A scarf is essential - think of it as winter armour.

ii) The Lower Back (Lumbar Spine)
This area houses your Kidney Qi.
Keep it warm by tucking your shirt in or wearing a thin scarf or layer around your waist.

iii) The Feet
The Kidney meridian begins on the sole of the foot.
Walking barefoot on cold floors can leave the whole body cold.
Wear socks and slippers at home to keep the feet warm and the Kidneys protected.

And Finally… Winter as an Invitation

Winter is not a season to push through - it’s a season to lean into.

When we allow ourselves to follow the natural rhythm of the year - slowing down, nourishing deeply, resting more - we begin to feel more grounded, centred, and resourced.

We emerge into spring with more vitality, more clarity, and a steadier inner fire.

So this winter, I invite you to treat rest as sacred, warmth as medicine, and stillness as a form of strength.

Winter Wisdom in Chinese Medicine