What aspects of Scandinavian living could Brits adopt to stave off the ‘January blues’?
Image Courtesy @andirieger on Unsplash
The tendency for people in Britain to hibernate indoors and waste away the winter in dreary fashion is all too common. If we constantly let the cold and dark of winter drive us into seasonal ‘blues’, the months pass by in a flash with little enjoyment and few experiences to remember. The truth, however, is that Britain really doesn’t have it that bad when it comes to cold, long and dark winters – in fact, it doesn’t even come close. Whilst enduring some of the longer winters than Brits can imagine, Scandinavians are still consistently ranking as the happiest people in the world. So what exactly is their formula?
In Scandinavia, conditions are far more extreme than at home. In Tromso, Norway, the sun doesn’t rise at all for two months. In a light Norwegian winter, residents of Tromso can expect to see a few hours of indirect light a day from the end of November to the end of January. Intriguingly, though, the rates of seasonal depression in Scandinavia are markedly low. Among several reasons, one of the most important is that Scandinavians make sure, no matter the weather, to get outside.
Norway has a concept called friluftsliv, roughly translated as ‘open air life’. While it might not sound appealing, psychological research courtesy of Ida Solhaug at the University of Tromso says that by dressing for the weather and getting outside, the cold can actually feel great. According to Dr. Solhaug: ‘You feel refreshed, you feel maybe a little bit robust and vital, and you feel the benefits of being in contact with the elements’.
The psychological research on the benefits of going out are long-standing, with time spent in nature indicating generally improved moods and better physical wellbeing. For Meik Wiking, chief executive of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, the benefits of going out are like ‘outdoorphins’, contending that over time, people have constantly proved happier when outdoors.
The concept of getting out and enjoying the sunlight is relatively simple: for Dr. Solhaug, it’s more than enough to go to a nearby spot like a park, a harbour, a river or a scenic route. Taking in the temperature, the wind, the air and the aroma is proven to have benefits both mentally and physically that are more than worth the effort.
The second reason some beat the ‘winter blues’? Hibernation. That might sound like the most direct route toward the 'winter blues', but if done right, there is a carefully constructed ambience that hits the spot. Winter is the perfect time of year to spend the long evenings watching Netflix and having early nights. When coupled with the Danish theme of ‘hygge’, which roughly translates to ‘illuminating the soul’, a calming mood can easily be set during the winter. This can be achieved by setting comfortable mood lighting - perhaps with the right shade of lamp or the perfect LEDs.r.
Finally, it’s important to follow in the footsteps of Scandinavians in simply enjoying winter by embracing a ‘positive winter-time’ mindset. Norwegians, most notably by study, embrace winter as a special time of year full of opportunities exclusive to the season, rather than dreading the darkness and gloom of the colder months. In order to stay sane during the winter, they try to embrace it.. By approaching the ‘winter blues’ with an excitement for the potential good – the snow, the clothing, the lights – the general mood around winter can change in a very significant way.
If we Brits learnt to welcome the shift in season, we could put life into a much more positive perspective, and maybe even begin to enjoy winter just as much as we do the sun.