If January feels like it’s been going on for about nine weeks already, you’re not imagining it. There are seven months of the year with 31 days, but January is the one that seems to crawl. There’s a shared sense that time has slowed and the same question of how it’s still January?
This feeling isn’t a personal failure of motivation or mindset - we all feel it. And there are real reasons January drags.
The lack of daylight messes with more than our mood
January gives us some of the shortest days of the year, and that has a bigger impact than making it harder to get up in the dark. Light plays a key role in regulating our circadian rhythm (our internal clock) that affects sleep, energy levels and even how we perceive time.
When we’re exposed to less natural light, our bodies produce more melatonin. That’s the hormone that makes us feel sleepy, slower and less alert. Days start to blur together, and without clear “markers” like bright mornings, distinct evenings, time can feel stretched and shapeless.
When our working days begin in darkness and ends in darkness, it’s harder for your brain to tell them apart. The result is that January feels longer, heavier and more monotonous than other months.
We’ve come down from December stimulation
December is unusually intense for our brains. It’s enjoyable and it’s full of novelty: different routines, social plans, different food, anticipation, spending time with family. All of that boosts dopamine, which plays a role in motivation, reward and how quickly time seems to pass. Hence the saying “time flies when you’re having fun”.
January strips most of that away overnight. Routines return, social calendars empty, and stimulation drops. When days become more repetitive, our brains register time as moving more slowly. It’s not that January has more days than other months, it just generally gives us fewer moments that stand out in comparison to other months.
That’s why December can fly by while January seems to linger, even though they’re the same length.
Routine stretches time
There’s also something called the “novelty effect”. When we experience new or novel events, time feels like it moves faster in the moment. We also remember these moments more as they stand out from our normal perception of the world.
January tends to be a month we scale back on plans and start new goals (that requires consistency). Which means it can feel more repetitive. Without variety, the brain doesn’t create strong memories, which makes the days feel longer while we’re living them. It’s only later, looking back, that January can feel like it disappeared.
Our bodies are wired to slow down in winter
Biologically, winter is a slower season. You only need to look at the nature around you for signs of seasonal slowing - the trees have dropped their leaves, the flowers aren’t blooming. Historically, winter was a time for rest, conservation and lower energy. But modern life doesn’t really allow for that - we’re still expected to give the same level of energy to work. And our bodies haven’t caught up.
In winter, energy levels dip, we need more sleep, and motivation naturally drops. January often asks us to do the opposite: set goals, overhaul habits, optimise everything. That disconnect can create a low-level sense of overwhelm and resistance, which makes time feel heavier and harder to move through.
In other words, January feels long partly because we’re pushing against our own biology.
How To Make January Feel More Manageable
You don’t need to “fix” January. But there are ways to make it feel less groggy.
- One of the most helpful things is adding small pockets of novelty. It doesn’t need to be dramatic. It could be a new walking route, one different meal a week, changing where you sit to work for an afternoon.
- Rest also matters more than we’re led to believe. Sleeping a little more, going to bed earlier, or allowing slow mornings where possible is needed.
- Lowering expectations can help too. January doesn’t need to be about progress or transformation. It can be about maintenance. Eating regularly. Moving gently. Doing one important thing a day and letting that be enough. When the mental load drops, the days stop feeling so dense.
- Reducing inputs is another quiet win. Constant news, scrolling and notifications can make everything feel louder and longer. Fewer inputs create more mental space, which changes how time is experienced.
Most of all, it helps to accept that January is slow month because it’s meant to be. Moving with that, rather than fighting it, often makes it pass more easily.
January isn’t dragging because you’re unmotivated or behind. It feels long because your body and brain are responding to winter. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is let it be slow, and trust that lighter days will come.
