Dry Skin, Stiff Joints, Restless Sleep? Ayurveda Calls This Vata in Winter

Every winter, I see the same pattern repeat itself. People tell me their skin suddenly feels thinner, no matter how much lotion they apply. Joints that behaved all summer begin to ache, especially in the morning. Sleep becomes lighter, interrupted, restless. The body feels tired, yet the mind refuses to slow down. Most assume this is just “winter doing its thing.” Ayurveda sees something more specific at work. Winter and the Nature of Vata In Ayurveda, everything in nature moves according to qualities. Cold, heat, dryness, heaviness, lightness, movement, stillness. These qualities don’t just exist outside us. They influence the...