Why Winter Makes the Body Stiffer (and how to support it)
Winter stiffness is very real, and it’s not “just aging”, or in your head. It’s a combination of physiology, environment, and your nervous system response. Here’s what’s happening in the body when temperatures drop:
Cold Causes Muscles & Fascia to Tighten
Cold temperatures reduce tissue elasticity. Muscles contract more easily and relax more slowly. Fascia (connective tissue) becomes less pliable, more “sticky”. Think of it like a cold rubber band, it doesn’t stretch the same way.
This is one of the biggest reasons people feel stiff getting out of bed in winter.
Reduced Blood Flow=Reduced Warmth & Mobility
In cold weather, your body prioritizes keeping vital organs warm. Blood vessels in the extremities constrict, which means: less oxygen and nutrients reaching muscles, slower tissue recovery, more aches, especially in the neck, hips, hands, and low back. Less circulation=less ease of movement.
We Move Less (even if we don’t realize it)
Winter naturally brings shorter days, less outdoor walking and more sitting and curling inward, aka. our form of hibernation. Even subtle decreases in daily movement can lead to joint stiffness, shortened muscles and fascia dehydration. The body thrives on gentle, regular movement, and winter quietly reduces it.
The Nervous System Shifts Toward Protection
Cold is perceived by the body as a stress signal. This can subtly activate the sympathetic (fight, flight or freeze) nervous system, leading to: Increased muscle guarding, shallower breath and more tension held unconsciously. A guarded nervous system=guarded muscles.
Joints May Feel It More
Cold temperatures can thicken synovial fluid (joint lubrication) and increase sensitivity in joints affected by arthritis or past injury. This doesn’t mean damage, it means joints need more warmth and circulation to feel comfortable.
What Helps
You don’t need to “push through” winter stiffness. The body responds best to support, not force. Warm showers, layering to keep muscles warm, gentle movement (walking, Pilates, stretching), slow breathing to calm the nervous system, consistent bodywork to restore circulation and tissue glide.
A Reframe Worth Remembering
Winter stiffness is your body asking for warmth, slower rhythms, and more intentional care, not necessarily harder workouts and more willpower.