Cognitive well-being
Winter is often described as a quieter season. Days are shorter, routines change, and opportunities for spontaneous interaction naturally reduce. While this shift can feel subtle, research suggests it may have meaningful implications for cognitive well-being in later life.
A large study by Lim and colleagues found that older adults, both with and without dementia, tended to show better thinking and concentration in late summer and early autumn than in winter and spring. The researchers described this not as decline, but as seasonal plasticity — the brain’s responsiveness to changes in environment, stimulation, and daily rhythm.
This insight helps reframe winter cognition. Rather than viewing changes in alertness or focus as problems, we can understand them as reflections of how much mental stimulation is available. In warmer months, everyday life naturally offers more cognitive input — varied routines, outdoor experiences, casual social contact, and visual change. In winter, these inputs often reduce.
Cognitive well-being in winter is therefore less about increasing effort and more about intentional engagement. Conversation becomes especially valuable, as it activates memory, attention, and language all at once. Meaningful activities that involve choice, reflection, or creativity support thinking more effectively than passive time-filling. Lifelong learning — whether revisiting familiar skills or exploring new interests — continues to nurture cognitive confidence at any age.
The environment also plays a quiet but important role. Visually interesting, well-lit, and thoughtfully arranged spaces can help maintain attention and mental alertness when outdoor stimulation is limited.
Research reminds us that cognition is not fixed or fragile — it is responsive. Winter simply asks us to be more deliberate in how we support it. With thoughtful environments, meaningful interaction, and opportunities to engage the mind, cognitive well-being can be sustained through every season.
All the best
Liz
Reference
Lim, A. S. P., et al. (2018). Seasonal plasticity of cognition and related biological measures in adults with and without Alzheimer disease. PLOS Medicine, 15(9): e1002647. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002647
