The Science of Cosiness: Why Winter Feels Better With Warm Light, Soft Sound and Ritual

4 December 2025

Paul Francis

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Somewhere between the first frosty morning and the second early sunset, many of us start craving the same things: warm light, hot drinks, familiar films, thick socks, and the sense that home is a refuge from the outdoors. We call it “cosy”, but the feeling is not just aesthetic. It is physical, psychological, and surprisingly practical.

Woman in a cozy sweater sits on a sofa holding a stuffed animal, near a decorated Christmas tree. Warm lights create a festive mood.

Cosiness is what happens when your body senses safety and steadiness. It is comfort, but with a particular flavour: warmth, softness, predictability and a gentle lowering of demands.

What “cosy” really is

Cosiness is often described like a mood, but it behaves more like an environment. It is created by a combination of signals that tell your nervous system, “you can relax now”.

Those signals tend to fall into a few familiar categories:

Warmth (temperature, blankets, hot food)
Softness (textures, cushions, knitted fabrics)
Low glare lighting (lamps, candles, fairy lights)
Low threat sound (quiet music, gentle voices, rain on windows)
Small rituals (tea at the same time, lighting a candle, a film tradition)

In winter, these cues work harder because the outside world feels harsher, darker, louder and colder. Cosiness becomes a way of counterbalancing.

Why winter makes us want it more

In the UK, winter hits in a very specific way: damp cold, short days, and long stretches of grey. Less daylight can affect energy levels and mood, partly because it disrupts sleep timing and daily routines. Even if you do not feel “sad”, you can still feel less motivated, a bit flatter, and more easily tired.

Cosy settings offer a gentle solution. They reduce stimulation, encourage rest, and help you slow down without needing to call it “self care”.

The comfort of warm light

Bright overhead lighting can feel harsh when it is dark outside. Warm, low lighting tends to feel safer and more flattering, but there is something deeper going on too. At night, the body is more suited to calm light rather than intense glare. Lamps and warm tones mimic firelight, which humans have used for thousands of years to signal rest and safety after dark.

If you want a quick cosy upgrade, change the lighting first. Even a single lamp can shift a room from “functional” to “inviting”.

Soft sound and the “safe noise” effect

Silence can be peaceful, but it can also make a home feel empty. Cosy sound is rarely loud. It is predictable, soft, and steady. Think: gentle playlists, radio voices, crackling fire videos, rain sounds.

This kind of audio does something important. It fills the background so your mind stops scanning for surprises. If you have had a stressful day, soft sound can make it easier to come down from that heightened state.

Texture is emotional, not decorative

Texture is one of the fastest ways to create cosiness because your skin reads it instantly. Rough, cold or synthetic textures can keep you feeling slightly “on guard”. Soft, warm fabrics can do the opposite.

You do not need to redesign a room. One throw, one thick hoodie, one pair of warm slippers can change the entire feel of a winter evening.

Why rituals feel powerful in December

Many cosy habits are rituals. A ritual is not just a routine. It has meaning. It marks a moment as special, even if the act is small.

In winter, rituals help because they provide:

Predictability when days feel rushed or chaotic
A sense of control when the outside world feels uncertain
A cue to rest, especially when you struggle to switch off

This is why seasonal rituals catch on so easily. The first mince pie, the first film night, the first tree decoration. They are small anchors that make the month feel structured.

How to build cosiness without buying loads

Cosiness can become a shopping trend, but it does not have to be.

A simple “cosy checklist” looks like this:

One warm light source (lamp, fairy lights, candles)
One comforting texture (throw, thick socks, soft hoodie)
One safe sound (quiet playlist or spoken radio)
One warm drink or meal
One small ritual you repeat

The point is not perfection. The point is signalling to yourself that you are allowed to slow down.

Cosiness is not laziness, and it is not just decoration. In winter, it can be a quiet form of adaptation. A way of restoring energy, lowering stress, and finding warmth when the season asks us to endure cold and darkness.

In a world that rarely stops shouting, the cosy moment is often the moment your body finally believes it is safe.

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Elon Musk’s Controversial Salute and Trump’s Inauguration: A Polarising Start

Connor Banks
Jan 21
3 min read

Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States was marked by sweeping executive actions and a controversial appearance by billionaire Elon Musk, whose gestures at the event have sparked widespread backlash.

A Contentious Start to Trump’s Presidency

Hours after being sworn in, President Trump announced a raft of executive orders aimed at undoing key policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Addressing supporters at an indoor parade event in Washington, D.C., Trump promised to reverse “80 destructive and radical executive actions” from the previous administration.

Among his first actions, Trump issued pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. This included shortening sentences for 14 members of far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, some of whom had been convicted of seditious conspiracy. Trump also declared illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border a national emergency, reinstated policies barring citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, and designated drug cartels as terrorist organisations.

On the international front, Trump announced the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, citing concerns about the nation’s energy independence. He further ordered the repeal of a Biden-era memo barring oil drilling in the Arctic and began the process of withdrawing the US from the World Health Organisation, criticising the agency’s financial demands on the US compared to China.

AI image of Elon Musk and Donald Trump shaking hands. — Image generated by Leonardo AI

Elon Musk’s Controversial Salutes

The inauguration also drew headlines due to the actions of Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X. Musk, a prominent Trump supporter and donor, appeared onstage before Trump’s address and delivered remarks praising the audience for their contributions to the administration’s victory.

During his speech, Musk made a gesture that has been widely criticised. He placed his right hand over his chest before extending it outward in a motion many likened to a Nazi salute. “My heart goes out to you,” Musk told the crowd. “It is thanks to you that the future of civilisation is assured.” He repeated the gesture moments later, prompting a storm of reactions on social media.

Historians and advocacy groups were quick to condemn Musk’s actions. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian of fascism, described the motion as a “Nazi salute” and “a very belligerent one too.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a statement calling the gesture “awkward” and advising restraint, though critics, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accused the organisation of minimising the incident.

Musk responded on X, dismissing the controversy. “Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he posted, adding a yawning emoji. He also reposted memes mocking the backlash, further fuelling the debate.

A Polarised Reaction

Supporters of Musk and Trump dismissed the outrage as overblown. “Can we please retire the calling people a Nazi thing?” one user wrote on X. Far-right groups, however, appeared to embrace Musk’s actions. Neo-Nazi leader Christopher Pohlhaus celebrated the gestures, stating, “I don’t care if this was a mistake. I’m going to enjoy the tears over it.”

Musk’s appearance added to the already divisive atmosphere surrounding Trump’s return to power. For many, it symbolised a normalisation of far-right rhetoric at the highest levels of influence, while others viewed it as a distraction from Trump’s ambitious policy agenda.

Trump’s inauguration has set the stage for a presidency marked by aggressive policy reversals and deeply polarising optics. Musk’s controversial gestures underscore the fraught political landscape, where symbolism and ideology often overshadow substantive debate. As the administration moves forward, the tension between unity and division will remain a central theme in American politics.