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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Has Halloween Become Too Expensive?

Gregory Devine
Oct 31, 2023
3 min read

Last year my opinion on Halloween changed. What I once thought was consumerism at its finest was instead a fun night out. This year however I’m falling back into that original opinion.

I must admit I’m writing this before my Halloween night out begins so you might feel I’m not quite giving it a fair chance. I know I’ll enjoy the night out, that’s not the issue here. The issue is just how expensive Halloween now is. Once again, the doom and gloom of the cost-of-living crisis is showing its ugly head. Halloween costumes have never been cheap. Most basic ones at the costume shop were about £20 last year. This year they’re closer to £30. That’s already a huge chunk of money spent, and I’ve not even put the costume on yet.

Nightclubs will always raise their prices around Halloween. Its basic supply and demand. More people are more likely to go out over Halloween weekend so why wouldn’t the business try to make more money? Ticket prices, at least in Newcastle, are around £5 - £7 on average. This is just an entry to the club. This year I’ve seen most tickets be around £15 and even seen some higher than £20. Luckily life is sometimes who you know and not what you know so I managed to get a discount, but it still left my ticket price at £10.

So, I’ve not even made the club yet and I’m already £40 down. Not a single drink has been bought and already I’ve spent more than a weekly food shop. Drinks in nightclubs, especially on weekends, are almost not worth buying. They’re watered down and even then, they’re never the proper brands. Most students know this so will partake in every student's favourite past time… pre drinks! An average ‘pres’ before this year would cost you maybe £10 max. A small bottle of vodka would be max £7 for the local shop and then the mixer of your choice would be max £1.50. That’s not the case anymore. Even the cheapest bottle of vodka is around £10, the mixer will be under £2. We’re now on at least £50 and I’m still not at the club.

You can have plenty of pre-drinks but at some point, you’re still probably going to want a drink. A standard single vodka with lemonade or cola will set you back around £4 but with it being Halloween prices will no doubt rise. If you’re like me and don’t enjoy holding a drink in the club, you might be more inclined to purchase a Jager bomb. Problem with bombs is on their own they’re far too expensive but when you purchase 3, they sound more affordable. I always fall for this in clubs I have to admit. On average 3 bombs is about £10 but sometimes you’ll get 4 for £10. Now we’re on £60 and still quite early into the night.

It’s come to the end of the night, and you’ve managed to only purchase one drink or maybe a round in the club. You’re feeling hungry and fancy a takeaway. Best hope you’ve got some money left cause takeaways are very expensive nowadays. Anything you want will be once again around £10. If you want a pizza, you’ll be looking at even more. It’s time to go home. If you live close to the city centre, you’re lucky and will be able to walk home. I’ve walked back plenty of times, but it does take about an hour. A taxi takes about 10 minutes max. On a weekend that taxi will cost around £15 bringing the total cost of the night to around £80.

I think £80 is quite a reasonable estimate too. It can be done a bit cheaper, but it can also be done for a lot more money. The point is that it’s simply too much. I know going out isn’t an essential, I’m not for one minute trying to claim it is. But life, especially as a student, is also about having some fun. Halloween is one of these events that young people look forward to but when its going to cost me £50 minimum how can it be justified, especially when the actual price could be a lot more. Luckily, I can reuse a costume for last year but that still doesn’t stop the price of everything else being ludicrous.

The narrative that students go out all the time is complete rubbish, many of us can’t even afford the rent.