The winter can be a testing time if you’re living alone. The days are short, vitamin D is in limited supply, and chill winds can undercut your motivation to get out and socialize. Read Indoor Haven for One: Embracing Winter Solitude in the Scandinavian Style – and learn to embrace the solitude the Scandinavian style.
However, winter doesn’t have to be a time of seclusion and boredom. In fact, winter can be the perfect time to pursue hobbies and interests that take place in your home.
This is an approach that Scandivains specialize in. Many Danes swear by the concept of Hygge and go to great lengths to create indoor havens when the days grow short. You can replicate this approach at home by embracing winter solitude and creating a space that breaks your boredom and helps you overcome the winter blues.
Indoor Haven for One: Embracing Winter Solitude in the Scandinavian Style. Article continues below image.
Creating a Supportive Space
It’s easy to lament the loss of summer sun when the winter months roll around. However, the winter holds some secret joys of its own. Getting to spend more time inside means that your motivation to redecorate and redesign your space should be at an all-time high.
Start by making room for activities you know you enjoy. This may mean you need to reposition the coffee table to make room for puzzles or pull the chairs closer to the fire. Even symbolic changes, like buying a few extra throws and blankets, can make your space look and feel cozy. This will help you feel safe and secure at home when the winter starts in earnest.
If you’re still struggling to embrace the cozy season, consider investing in some Danish furniture. Danish furniture is built with cold winter days in mind. It may cost a little extra, but can represent an important shift in your priorities. Danish chairs are excellent if you plan to sit for prolonged periods while knitting, watching films, or reading.
The Hygge Mindset
If you want to get the most out of winter, you’ll need to shift your mindset to embrace the colder weather and shorter days. You have to slow down, embrace the Hygge mindset, and strive to find joy in the small pleasures that life indoors grants you.
Author Louisa Thomsen Brits explains that Hygge is “a feeling of belonging and warmth, a moment of comfort and contentment.” Making an intentional decision to “dwell and savor” can be transformative if you’re used to raging against the short winter days and cold nights.
Perfecting the Hygge mindset won’t alleviate boredom by itself, but it will put you on the right track to enjoy a happier, cozier winter. Hygge gives you permission to invest in a few personal items that make the winter bearable, too. Candles, thick sweaters, and weighted blankets are perfect investments in your health and happiness. Likewise, stocking up on tea, firewood, and games can break your boredom and help you feel content when the temperatures drop below freezing.
Indoor Haven for One: Embracing Winter Solitude in the Scandinavian Style. Article continues below image.
Games to Break Boredom
Creating a cozy refuge at home doesn’t mean you have to spend your evenings gazing at the fire or watching films. In fact, winter can be the perfect time to discover some games that engage your brain and improve your mental health.
If you really want to get into the Scandinavian spirit, consider playing video games inspired by Nordic mythology. Titles like God of War and Assasin Creed: Valhalla draw inspiration from Nordic mythology and are largely set in winter. You’ll learn plenty about the Nordic pantheon while adventuring across Scandinavian-inspired landscapes.
You don’t have to buy a next-gen console to enjoy the games, either. Simple games like Solitaire can relieve boredom and improve your mental health. This is important, as the negative health consequences of boredom include:
- Increased stress;
- Elevated risk of cardiovascular disease;
- More likely to develop depression ;
- Increased risk of substance abuse.
The health risks that boredom poses should be enough to give you pause. Fortunately, you can overcome boredom and embrace winter solitude with mentally stimulating activities like games. Even easy memory-based games like crossword puzzles and sudoku can be enough to break your boredom and protect your mental health.
Hobbies
The winter is the perfect time to invest time and effort into your favorite hobbies. You have plenty of free time once the nights draw in and can spend the cash you save on socializing to kickstart your new interest. Some of the best winter hobbies include:
- Baking;
- Writing;
- Yoga;
- Learning a language;
These skill-based hobbies are mentally engaging and give you something to work towards. You’ll learn plenty about yourself when writing and can expect to see a meaningful improvement in your health if you take up yoga.
If you think you need a bigger project to make it through the winter, consider brewing beer from home. Brewing your beer is like running a science experiment in your own home and you can customize your brew to suit your own tastes. You will need to invest in some equipment like fermenters and brew pots, but can tweak your use of barley, malt, and hops accordingly. After a few weeks of fermenting, you can pour yourself a pint that any Scandinavian would be proud of.
Indoor Haven for One: Embracing Winter Solitude in the Scandinavian Style – Conclusion
Creating an indoor haven is the perfect way to see out the winter the Scandinavian way. Even simple changes, like repositioning your furniture and buying a new blanket, can help you settle into the Hygge mindset. Consider picking up a new game or starting a new hobby during the winter months, too, as this will occupy your mind and protect your mental health when the night draws in.
Indoor Haven for One: Embracing Winter Solitude in the Scandinavian Style, written exclusively for Daily Scandinavian by Ainsely Lawrence. Ainsley is a regular contributor to Daily Scandinavian. She is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. Ainsley is interested in better living. through technology and education. She is frequently lost in a good book.