Can You Feel It? Winter Fatigue Lifts as the Days Grow Longer

Sunset Is 5:28 PM Today

Then sunset today at 5:28 PM, and on January 15 it was 4:29 PM, which means nearly an hour has returned to the end of the day.

February 15 marks the beginning of spring training as pitchers and catchers report, another annual marker that the season is progressing whether or not the temperature reflects it.

Pitchers and catchers report as the days begin stretching past 5:28 PM.

When the sun set before 5 PM, afternoons felt short and the transition from work to darkness happened fast, leaving little space to reset before the next responsibility. Concentration faded by mid afternoon. Small tasks required more effort than expected. And dinner… the whole tedious dinner routine felt like one more demand on an already drained system.

Stepping out at 6 PM felt like going out at night. Driving to a class in the dark required convincing a nervous system that had already shut down for the day. Even events that promised restoration demanded more activation than usual.

“Turns out most of what we call burnout in February is just a 4:29 PM sunset.”

If you know me, you know I need to understand the why behind the feeling.

The Pattern Behind It

Reduced daylight shifts serotonin production and circadian rhythm, something the National Institute of Mental Health has documented in its research on seasonal patterns. When sunlight decreases, the body leans toward conserving energy. Sleep timing drifts. Cognitive stamina narrows.

Research from Harvard Medical School explains how natural light regulates the brain’s master clock. When daylight is limited, internal rhythms adjust to match it.

The environment sets the pace.

When the Evenings Hold Light

Now sunset is 5:28 PM. There is brightness at 6 PM. The workday can end before it is dark. The brain continues receiving cues for wakefulness later into the evening, and circadian rhythm responds.

Focus extends further into the afternoon and conversations require less effort. There is actually energy left over for your practice after dinner.

Community follows this rhythm as well, longer days lift winter fatigue.

As the sun sets later, the drive to the studio happens in the light. Arriving before full darkness changes how the body interprets the evening.

At West Door Yoga, this shift shows up every year. Evening classes become easier to attend. Workshops feel approachable. Women linger after class because the night does not feel immediate. Gathering fits into the day rather than competing with it.

Soon, the sunset will be on the beach.

Within thirty days, sunset will approach 7 PM across much of the country. On March 20, daylight will extend beyond twelve hours in many regions. The American Psychological Association identifies environmental light as a significant factor in seasonal emotional patterns, reinforcing what experience already reflects.

As the horizon holds brightness longer, so do we.

Sunset today is 5:28 PM.

Show up while the light is still there.

Can you feel it?

Dee Morrow is a former critical care RN turned burnout recovery coach and co-founder of West Door Yoga. As a certified hypnotherapist, Reiki practitioner, and women’s circle facilitator, she helps high-achieving women reconnect with clarity, energy, and purpose. Her work blends science, nervous system regulation, and real-life experience to create spaces where women can breathe, reset, and return to themselves.