North Seattle Natural Medicine

11/28/2025

11/20/2025

11/18/2025

Why ADHD Brains Go Into “Hibernate Mode” When It’s Dark, Cold, or Overwhelming — And Why Your Brain Sometimes Feels Like a Comedic Side Character
The image is funny because it’s true: sometimes your brain behaves like a dramatic winter creature insisting that the only reasonable response to cold weather is sweatpants, snacks, and full hibernation mode. And while we laugh at the dialog — “I’m not a bear.” “CARBS AND SWEATPANTS NOW!” — there’s actually real neuroscience behind why so many people with ADHD feel this way during colder months or darker days.
It’s not laziness.
It’s not lack of discipline.
It’s not a personal flaw.
It’s the ADHD nervous system reacting to environmental shifts that genuinely affect energy regulation, motivation, and executive functioning.
Let’s break down what’s really happening behind this hilarious internal conversation — and why your brain sometimes leans toward “hibernate” instead of “activate.”
✨ 1. ADHD Brains Are Highly Sensitive to Environmental Conditions
Cold weather, darkness, and lack of natural light all impact cognitive functioning, energy levels, and emotional regulation. For people with ADHD, these effects are often amplified because the ADHD brain:
relies heavily on external stimulation
struggles with internal activation
is sensitive to sensory discomfort
is affected by light levels and circadian rhythms
responds strongly to comfort cues
So when it’s dark, cold, or gloomy outside, the ADHD nervous system naturally shifts toward:
lower motivation
decreased energy
increased desire for coziness
increased cravings
reduced executive function
difficulty initiating tasks
Your brain isn’t being dramatic — it’s reacting to a real drop in both external stimulation and internal fuel.
✨ 2. Cold + Darkness Reduce Dopamine, Which ADHD Brains Already Struggle With
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter responsible for:
motivation
energy
task initiation
regulating mood
overcoming inertia
In winter months or darker weather, dopamine activity naturally dips — for everyone. But because ADHD already involves lower, inconsistent, or harder-to-access dopamine levels, this seasonal dip hits twice as hard.
This leads to:
increased task paralysis
difficulty starting anything
the urge to stay in sweats, blankets, or warm clothing
comfort-seeking behaviors (hello carbs!)
more time “stuck” or low-energy
So when the brain shouts “NO, WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING TODAY,” it’s expressing a neurochemical truth.
✨ 3. Sensory Sensitivity Makes Cold Weather Harder for ADHD Individuals
Many people with ADHD have sensory-processing differences. Cold weather triggers:
discomfort
tension
irritability
body tightness
overwhelming sensory input (wind, temperature changes)
This makes tasks like going outside, driving, errands, or transitioning between spaces harder to initiate.
So the brain chooses:
warmth
soft textures
comfortable clothing
predictable environments
It’s not that you don’t want to be productive.
Your sensory system simply prefers a regulated environment — especially when overstimulation or discomfort pushes the nervous system toward shutdown.
✨ 4. Seasonal Shifts Affect Executive Function — Especially Task Initiation
Task initiation is already one of the hardest ADHD executive skills. When the weather is dark or gloomy, the brain experiences:
slower cognitive processing
reduced alertness
difficulty prioritizing
difficulty shifting from rest to action
“brain fog”
lower internal motivation
Because the ADHD brain relies so heavily on external cues (light, warmth, movement), winter conditions naturally reduce the brain’s ability to transition from “rest mode” to “task mode.”
Thus the internal negotiation begins:
“I think I can still do stuff.”
“No. Sweatpants now.”
This isn’t a joke — it’s your executive functioning needing warmth, dopamine, and safety cues before it can activate.
✨ 5. Comfort Foods and Warm Clothing Are Forms of Self-Regulation
ADHD individuals often instinctively reach for:
carbs
warm clothing
soft textures
blankets
cozy spaces
warm drinks
These are not “bad habits.”
They are sensory regulation strategies.
Carbohydrates increase serotonin, which improves mood and reduces stress.
Warm clothing reduces sensory discomfort.
Comfort foods increase dopamine, providing motivation and emotional ease.
Your brain isn’t trying to turn you into a hibernating animal — it’s trying to regulate your nervous system so it can function.
✨ 6. The Internal Humor Helps Us Cope
Many ADHDers use humor to describe the emotional battle between intention and brain wiring:
“My brain said no before I even knew what I wanted to do.”
“Apparently we’re hibernating today and I didn’t approve this plan.”
“My brain thinks life comes with a warm blanket requirement.”
Humor isn’t avoidance — it’s resilience.
It allows people to describe:
executive dysfunction
energy dysregulation
motivation gaps
sensory overload
emotional overwhelm
…in ways that feel relatable instead of shame-based.
✨ 7. You’re Not “Unmotivated” — Your Brain Needs a Different Type of Activation
ADHD-friendly ways to support winter motivation include:
✔ Light exposure
Even 5–10 minutes of natural light boosts dopamine and energy.
✔ Movement
Small bursts of walking, stretching, or gentle exercise activate attention circuits.
✔ Warm sensory cues
Warm drinks, heated blankets, and soft clothing reduce sensory stress.
✔ Micro-tasks
Instead of big tasks, break things into 30-second actions.
✔ Environmental cues
Bright lights, upbeat music, timers, and visual prompts help the brain “turn on.”
✔ Compassion
Shame disconnects the brain further; understanding rebuilds motivation.
Your brain responds not to pressure — but to support.

11/12/2025

BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES FOR THE WIN:

The FDA is removing the broad black box warnings from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products for menopause, a decision supported by the Department of Health and Human Services. This action is based on new scientific evidence and aims to provide accurate and balanced information to help patients make decisions with their doctors, removing previous warnings about risks like cardiovascular disease and dementia, while retaining warnings for endometrial cancer for some products. The FDA is updating labeling to reflect the latest data and will provide specific guidance, such as recommending starting systemic HRT within 10 years of menopause or before age 60. Key changes from the FDA

Removing broad warnings: The FDA is removing broad "black box" warnings that were previously applied to many menopause HRT products.New scientific basis: This decision is based on the latest scientific evidence and aims to correct what the agency calls "misleading" and "fear-based" warnings from the past.

Updating product labels: The agency is working with companies to update product labels to include current, accurate, and balanced information about the benefits and risks of HRT.

Specific guidance:Labels will be updated to remove references to risks of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and probable dementia associated with systemic HRT.

11/12/2025

https://newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-attack-risk-halved-in-adults-with-heart-disease-taking-tailored-vitamin-d-doses "Adults with heart disease prescribed vitamin D in doses tailored to reach blood levels considered optimal for heart health (>40-80 ng/mL) had a reduced risk of heart attack by more than half (52%) compared to those who did not receive monitoring of vitamin D levels.
85% of all study participants had vitamin D levels below 40 ng/mL at enrollment, and nearly 52% of people in the treatment group needed to take more than 5,000 IU of vitamin D each day (more than six times the 800 IU daily value established by the FDA) to reach target blood levels of 40-80 ng/mL.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal."

Research Highlights: Adults with heart disease prescribed vitamin D in doses tailored to reach blood levels considered optimal for heart health (>40-80 ng/mL) had a reduced risk of heart attack by more than half (52%) compared to those who did not...

11/06/2025

https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/11/navis-kitchen-to-serve-free-meals-to-those-in-need-starting-nov-6/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Navi’s Catering Kitchen is offering free weekly meals to those who may have lost SNAP or EBT benefits or other food assistance in light of the federal government’s cuts and […]

10/31/2025

A nice clown, Barney and a 70s girl all went into a clinic together!  Happy Halloween with lots of fun, spooks and good times and we will leave the food from the food pantry outside this evening in front of the clinic so feel free to get anything you need!

10/30/2025

If you are in need of a meal, this is a great resource:

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10/26/2025

Decent read- come to us for testosterone support!

There is no F.D.A.-approved testosterone product for women. Insurance won’t cover it. Many doctors won’t prescribe it. It’s become a cultural phenomenon.

10/25/2025

Friday October 31 st: hours 9-3 and then outside! We are purchasing some perishables and non-perishable staple foods for anyone that is short on groceries currently and we invite you to come by the front of the clinic until the office hours are closed (and then we will leave them outside) so if you need anything, come help yourself and of course spread the word.

10/25/2025