Honouring Seasonal Energy: Why So Many Women Feel Tired Right Now.

With guest insight from acupuncturist Charlotte Breadmore.

Charlotte Breadmore Acupuncture

As we move through the darker months, many women are feeling a deep tiredness that goes far beyond a busy week. It is a kind of fatigue that sits in the body, that shows up in the mind, and that signals a need for a different rhythm. In this post, I’m joined by my friend and acupuncturist, Charlotte Breadmore, to explore what this collective exhaustion might really be telling us.

Together, we look at how seasonal transitions, hormonal changes and the pace of modern life shape our energy. We also discuss how aligning with nature, instead of pushing against it, can help us restore balance and vitality.

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Understanding the Five Elements and Seasonal Rhythm

Charlotte works with the Five Elements system of acupuncture, a practice rooted in the belief that our health depends on the balance of five elemental forces within us: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each element is connected to specific organs, emotions and energetic qualities. Crucially, each is also tied to the seasons.

Right now, we are in late autumn. In nature, this is the quiet pause before winter. Leaves fall, the air cools, animals begin to conserve energy. Our bodies are designed to follow the same pattern. Late autumn is a time to refine, release and begin drawing inward so that winter can be a period of true restoration.

When we move with these rhythms, our energy is steadier, our immune system is supported and our emotional space widens.

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Why This Autumn Feels So Different

Many people, including Charlotte’s patients and my clients, are arriving with a level of fatigue that feels deeper than usual for this time of year. One reason may be the unusually warm temperatures we have experienced. When autumn feels like an extended summer, our internal rhythm becomes confused.

Our lungs thrive on crisp, cool air. Without it, we are seeing more chest tightness, lingering coughs and low energy. Western physiology supports this too. Without colder nights, melatonin release is delayed, which affects sleep and recovery. Our bodies start to behave as though it is still summer, even though nature is moving into winter.

This mismatch takes a toll.

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Adapting Training and Lifestyle for Seasonal Needs

I am seeing the same patterns in my coaching sessions. Clients who usually arrive ready to go are coming in feeling flat, depleted or mentally foggy. This is where training has to adapt. Instead of pushing harder, we take the intensity down.

More breath work.

More mobility.

More grounding movements that help them feel strong without draining the tank.

Lighter weights and lower heart rates.

Sessions that feel empowering but gentler.

Many high performing women find it difficult to truly rest, but this season asks for it.

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The Five Element Perspective on Winter Preparation

Charlotte explains that this time of year is about protecting kidney energy, conserving yin and supporting the lungs. When we keep pushing without rest, we disturb this balance.

This is the moment to bring in:

Warm cooked meals

Soups, stews and root vegetables

Spices like ginger and cinnamon

Qigong, meditation and breath work

Earlier bedtimes

Keeping the feet and centre warm

These small shifts help the body replenish what it has spent and prepare for deeper winter restoration.

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⭐ What a Five Element Treatment Actually Looks Like

Charlotte also shared how she approaches treatment during this time of year.

When she is treating someone, she is always looking for the underlying pattern. How the Qi is moving. Where it may be weak or out of balance. What the pulses reveal about the whole system. The pulse diagnosis gives her a deep understanding of where support is most needed.

She often uses moxa to bring warmth and nourishment, especially when someone is feeling tired or cold. The gentle heat of moxa encourages Qi to flow more freely and helps the body regulate itself. This can ease both physical and emotional symptoms that stem from imbalance.

Her intention is simple but powerful: to help her patients leave feeling grounded, resilient and better able to function day to day.

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A Curious Question: What About Cold Water Therapy?

Because so much modern recovery advice centres around cold water therapy, I asked Charlotte how this fits into Chinese medicine principles.

Her answer was simple: it depends on the person. If someone tends to run cold, extreme cold exposure may not be supportive. It is not about good or bad, but about whether your body has the capacity to handle that stressor. And while the physiological benefits appear the same across populations, there is room for more research, especially across different cultural backgrounds.

The nuance matters.

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Where Hormones Fit In

We also touched on the needs of women navigating perimenopause and menopause. These transitions add another layer of complexity. Energy becomes more precious. Rest becomes more essential. And the ability to notice what the body is asking for becomes one of the greatest tools a woman can have.

Whether it is seasonal change or hormonal change, the message is the same: tune in, not out.

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Preparing for Spring: The Athletic Analogy

If we honour late autumn and winter, spring becomes a time of expansion and upward movement. This mirrors athletic periodisation. When you take intensity down in one phase, you can build strength and power more effectively in the next.

Spring in Five Element theory is the energy of wood. Growth, new beginnings, fresh ideas. But we only arrive there strong if we have truly rested in winter.

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Final Thoughts: Rest Is Not Failure

Fatigue is not a personal flaw. It is communication. Your body is asking for rhythm, warmth and rest. It is asking you to live closer to nature, to honour the season you are in and to take care of yourself with intention rather than force.

If you are feeling tired right now, you are not alone. You are not weak. You are seasonal.

When we let go, slow down and give ourselves the space winter requires, we regain the energy we need for what comes next.

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If you'd like to experience Charlotte’s work yourself, she is offering 30% off acupuncture sessions throughout December. Use the code SHINE30 when you book.

And if this conversation resonates, you can listen to the full episode on the Active Shakti podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Train smarter.

Rest deeply.

Honour your energy.