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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Journalism on the Frontline: The Life and Death of Victoria Roshchyna

Paul Francis
May 6
3 min read

In an age where truth is often a casualty of war, Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna stood as a defiant exception. A fearless voice amidst chaos, her commitment to reporting from the frontlines of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cost her everything—including, ultimately, her life.

Back view of a person wearing a "PRESS" vest walking through rubble in a war-torn city, with a somber, tense mood. — AI image of Press officer in a Warzone

A Promising Voice from Zaporizhzhia

Born in 1996 in the industrial city of Zaporizhzhia, Victoria Roshchyna began her journalistic career young, covering courts and crime as a teenager. But it was the seismic shock of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 that reshaped her path—and gave rise to some of the most courageous journalism of the war.

Working with outlets such as Hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Roshchyna became known for going where few dared. She reported from the besieged city of Mariupol, from occupied territories, and from communities terrorised by Russian shelling. Her focus wasn’t just on bombs and battle lines, but on the people living through them.

Victoria Roshchyna First Detention - and Defiant Return

In March 2022, Roshchyna was detained by Russian forces while reporting in Berdiansk, southeastern Ukraine. She was held for 10 days, subjected to interrogation, and coerced into recording a video thanking her captors. The experience would shake many—but not Victoria.

She published her harrowing account of that detention, then returned to the front. Later that year, she was awarded the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Award—an honour she declined to collect in person, choosing instead to continue her work in the field.

Disappearance in Occupied Territory

On August 3, 2023, Roshchyna vanished while investigating alleged secret detention facilities near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—an area under Russian control. For months, her family and colleagues pleaded for answers. Russian authorities refused to confirm her whereabouts until April 2024.

By then, it was too late.

Torture and Tragedy

According to official statements, Roshchyna died on September 19, 2024, during a transfer to Moscow, allegedly as part of a prisoner exchange. But the circumstances of her death—and the condition of her body—told a far more disturbing story.

Her remains were returned to Ukraine months later, mislabelled as those of an “unidentified male.” Forensic experts discovered her body bore signs of extreme torture: broken bones, electrocution marks, and the removal of her eyes, brain, and larynx—presumably to hide evidence of how she died.

She had been held in Penal Colony No. 77 in Berdiansk, and later transferred to SIZO-2, the notorious pre-trial detention centre in Taganrog. Investigations by human rights groups have linked both sites to systemic torture, starvation, and abuse of Ukrainian detainees.

A Chilling Pattern

Roshchyna’s death fits a grim pattern of violence against journalists in occupied Ukraine. Her case is a searing indictment of how the Kremlin seeks not only to suppress information—but to punish those brave enough to uncover it.

Her story also speaks to a broader crisis: the dangers facing reporters who challenge authoritarian narratives, especially women. Despite the personal risk, Roshchyna refused to be silenced. And for that, she paid the ultimate price.

Remembering Victoria

Tributes have poured in from around the world, honouring Roshchyna as a symbol of fearless journalism. But perhaps the most enduring tribute is the legacy of her reporting—accounts that give voice to civilians under occupation, to families ripped apart, and to lives lived under threat.

Her colleagues remember her as warm, sharp-witted, and deeply committed to the truth. “She wanted to show the human face of war,” one wrote. “And she never stopped trying.”

In remembering Victoria Roshchyna, we are reminded of the essential—and dangerous—role of journalism in conflict. Her story must not be forgotten. Her work must continue.

Citations and Sources

The Guardian – ‘Numerous signs of torture’: a Ukrainian journalist's detention and death in Russian prisonhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/29/viktoriia-roshchyna-ukrainian-journalist-death-russian-prison
The Washington Post – Russia’s detention of civilians: secret prisons and torturehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/russia-detention-ukraine-civilians-occupation
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) – Ukrainian Journalist Missing In Russian-Occupied Area Has Been Detained, Relatives Sayhttps://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-journalist-roshchyna-missing-russia-detention/
Hromadske International – Victoria Roshchyna’s First-Person Account of Her 2022 Detentionhttps://en.hromadske.ua/posts/journalist-victoria-roshchyna-released-from-captivity
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) – Courage in Journalism Award: Victoria Roshchyna (2022)https://www.iwmf.org/community/victoria-roshchyna/
New York Post – Body of Ukrainian journalist returned with signs of torturehttps://nypost.com/2025/04/29/world-news/body-of-ukrainian-journalist-kidnapped-by-russia-returned-with-eyes-brain-removed-likely-to-hide-signs-of-torture-report