Why your ability to cope with stress changes with time

image via New Scientist

August 29, 2026, 10:00 AM

• •The article argues that stress resilience changes over time because biological, social and seasonal rhythms continually alter both demands and capacity.
• •It highlights circadian rhythms, chronotype and slower cycles such as the reproductive cycle as factors that can affect mood, energy and readiness.
• •Seasonal differences in daylight, temperature and weather can change activity levels, sociability and stress, with effects varying by geography and hemisphere.
• •Remote and global teams may face added strain because coworkers are often operating under different seasonal and time-zone conditions.
• •The author recommends three strategies: acknowledge normal fluctuations, integrate work and rest with personal rhythms where possible, and adapt by building healthy resilience habits.

The article says people’s ability to handle stress is not fixed but shifts with overlapping biological, social and seasonal rhythms. It points to factors such as circadian timing, chronotype, reproductive cycles, holidays, school schedules and changes in daylight and temperature as influences on resilience. The piece also argues that global and hybrid workplaces can magnify these effects because coworkers often operate in different time zones and seasons. It recommends acknowledging these fluctuations, aligning habits and work patterns with personal rhythms when possible, and building resilience through sleep, exercise, diet and stress-management practices.

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