20/01/2026
January can feel hard on your energy.
Short days, cold weather, disrupted routines and a lot of pressure to feel motivated and “back on track” again. You may have even seen this time of year labelled Blue Monday.
Labels aside, many people genuinely feel flatter and more tired in January.
This isn’t a personal failing, it’s often physiological.
In winter:
• Reduced daylight can affect sleep and circadian rhythms
• The immune system is under more demand
• Meals can become more irregular → blood sugar dips
• Nutrient levels, including iron and vitamin D, are often lower
For women in perimenopause, this can feel even more noticeable. Hormonal fluctuations can affect energy, sleep and mood, but they can also influence nutrient needs and losses. Tiredness is often multi-factorial, not “just hormones”.
One thing that can contribute to low energy at this stage of life is iron status.
Low iron doesn’t always mean anaemia, and it doesn’t just show up as tiredness. Brain fog, feeling cold, breathlessness, low mood or poor exercise recovery can all be part of the picture — and are often attributed solely to perimenopause.
If you’ve ever wondered whether low iron could be playing a role for you, I’ve put together a short guide to help you think this through clearly. It’s written with perimenopausal women in mind and includes four simple iron-rich recipes to support intake through food.
You’ll find the link in my bio.
And if you’re unsure whether this applies to you, feel free to DM me, I’m always happy to help you make sense of what you’re noticing.
January doesn’t need fixing or forcing. Very often, it just needs supporting.
