The darkest week of the year

Dec 16

Hello friends,

We are in the darkest week of the year.

The long nights around the winter solstice are not a mistake or something to push through. For most of human history, this stretch of darkness was understood as a pause point. A time to sleep more, dream more, pray more, and turn inward.

So before doing anything else, I’ll ask a simple question:

How do you want to use this darkness?

Illustration by Sophie Lucido Johnson.

This season quietly changes what happens in the brain.

Research shows that winter is associated with longer REM periods, especially later in the night and early morning. REM is the stage of sleep most tied to emotional processing, memory integration, and creativity. In other words, this season naturally invites more dreaming and more inner work, whether we ask for it or not.

A 2022 sleep study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that:
• REM sleep duration increases in winter compared to summer
• Deep sleep timing shifts with day length
• The brain appears to remain more emotionally active during darker months

This aligns with what many of us feel intuitively. Nights feel longer and dreams feel louder.

Nothing is wrong with you when this happens.
You’re responding to the season.

You can read the full study here:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1105233/full

I’ll be talking more about this research, and how to work with winter sleep and dreaming, at my January gathering at Anima Mundi.

You can learn more and sign up here:

New Year Night Portal : Workshop January 13, 2026.

Illustration by Sophie Lucido Johnson

This week, I’m inviting you to stop and enjoy the darkness rather than manage it.

I want to pause here and say something important.

The things happening in this image are not bad.
They’re often joyful. They’re traditional. They’re connective.

Baking and sharing food. Buying gifts. Hosting and attending holiday gatherings. Traveling to see people we love. Celebrating milestones and closing out the year together. These are meaningful human rituals, and they matter.

This isn’t an invitation to opt out or feel guilty.

It’s simply an invitation to notice.

To notice whether you’re also making time for rest.

Sometimes rest doesn’t mean doing less. It means choosing more carefully. Saying yes to the traditions, gatherings, and projects that truly bring joy to you and your family, and letting go of the ones that don’t need to be carried this year.

A few simple ways to work with this season instead of against it:
• Go to bed a little earlier if your body asks
• Sit in meditation for even five quiet minutes before sleep
• Keep a notebook by the bed for dreams or nighttime thoughts
(My Rest to Rise journal was designed for exactly this. Click here for purchase.
• Let mornings be slower where possible
• Lower the bar for productivity and raise it for rest

Illustration by Sophie Lucido Johnson

The solstice marks the turning point.

The light will return.

But first, there is value in staying with the dark.
Much love.

Sarah

Illustrations throughout by Sophie Lucido Johnson, shared with appreciation:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSM6-CSDLqF/

Rest to Rise journal is officially ready!!

I’ll have physical copies in hand this week, and I’ll be personally packing and shipping them to you.

Rest to Rise is a 90-day analog sleep journal and wellness tracker. It blends evidence-based sleep tracking with reflective practices so you can understand your nights, your dreams, and the daily habits shaping your energy.

Inside you’ll find:
• Morning and evening sleep metrics (bedtime, wake time, awakenings, sleep quality, energy)
• Space for dream recall, morning planning, evening gratitude, and a nightly worry dump
• Movement logging (strength, cardio, flexibility)
• Weekly overview grids to see patterns clearly
• A simple menstrual cycle prompt for private, analog tracking
• A clinically studied meditation for sleep plus a 90-day meditation tracker

It’s printed in small batches with a linen hardcover, thick paper, and minimalist illustrations. Undated, durable, and designed to last a full season.(90 days)

If you’d like one, you can find it here in the Sleep Shop, and I’ll ship it directly to you:

Purchase Journal Here