Save your new year resolutions until the spring weather arrives | Science

NNew Year; new you; New Year’s resolutions. This is the time of year when we commit to all kinds of ambitious goals, about 80% of which we exceeded by the end of February. Indeed, the middle of winter is really not the time to take on new challenges.

Although humans don’t hibernate, our bodies slow down when the nights are long and the weather is colder. Less melatonin from the sun makes us sleepier, with a slower metabolism (sometimes leading to weight gain in winter), less energy and lower mood. But the modern world’s demands for busy work and family commitments tend not to let up during the dark, cold months, leaving us stressed and lacking the drive to tackle new exercise regimes or healthy eating.

Kimberly Dienes, lecturer in clinical and health psychology at Swansea University, recommends keeping your resolutions until spring arrives. His research shows that feelings of stress and overwhelm diminish as the days lengthen and we emerge from our state of gentle hibernation. In March, you’ll be much more likely to succeed with a few sweet spring resolutions. But she warns against failing by being too ambitious: our bodies still need time to recover from the winter cold. My resolution for the new year will be to leave it until spring…