5 Scandinavian ways to boost wellbeing

Here’s 5 Scandinavian ways to boost wellbeing, as Scandinavians are thought to be some of the most content people on the planet. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland have long been regarded as ‘happy’ countries, regularly scoring highly in polls and exceeding citizen satisfaction statistics.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Denmark is the ‘happiest’ country on Earth, with 89 per cent of the population reporting to have more positive experiences in an average day than negative ones. And the others weren’t far behind, either. It’s safe to say a Nordic lifestyle goes hand-in-hand with a high quality of life, but what is it about these Scandinavian countries that make them so content?

First and foremost, these are incredibly stable countries with the least corrupt democracies on Earth. It’s believed their system of higher taxes and less income inequality improves standards of living, with more money subsequently spent on an excellent (free) healthcare system, education and generous social programmes and welfare benefits. But is their success just down to fortunate governing systems?

Perhaps not. Scandi traditions, lifestyle and diet have long been presumed to be linked to their extraordinary high life satisfaction. Their outlook on life and attitude towards others is also worth noting. According to Professor Geert Hofstede, Scandinavian countries have more of a ‘feminine’ culture, so rather than being driven by competition and success like a ‘masculine’ culture would, they focus on caring about others, not letting the winners and losers stand out in a crowd and everyone achieving an adequate quality of life. On a scale of 1-100 (one being totally feminine and 100 being totally masculine), where countries such as the US, the UK and Australia scored 62, 66 and 61 respectively, Sweden scored 5, Norway 8, Denmark 16 and Finland 26.

We decided to delve deeper into the Scandi way of life and look at the aspects we too can adopt. Read on to discover how to improve your wellbeing and quality of life – the Scandi way.

Find balance at work

Scandi citizens certainly know how to balance their work and personal life. In Norway, just three per cent of employees say they work very long hours, with the stats falling even further for the Danish, who boast a score of just two per cent – distinctly lower than the OECD average of nine per cent. Scandinavians also follow a tradition called Fika, which involves taking frequent, short coffee breaks during the work day to maintain motivation and increase productivity.

What’s more, the Danes enjoy some of the most generous holiday allowance in the world, with a whopping five weeks of paid vacay a year (insert jealous face here). As such, Scandinavian vacation culture has been associated with low levels of depression and heart disease in local populations. Now we’re not telling you to pack in your job, nor to tell your boss where to stick it when they ask you to stay an extra hour, but recognising the importance of your personal life and achieving balance is integral for your wellbeing.

Enjoy a sauna regularly

Scandinavia and saunas are synonymous for a reason – the sauna is an integral part of local culture and a weekly soak is a regular occurrence. With numerous reported and well-studied health benefits, it’s no coincidence that the Nordic peoples characteristically enjoy life longevity and vigour. From flushing toxins from your body, to inducing better sleep and improving cardiovascular performance, it’s a great – and enjoyable – practice to include in your schedule.

Get active

In Scandinavia, exercise is a way of life. And we don’t mean that in a ‘fitting four 1Rebel’s into a week kind of way’ – rather, being active is a seamless, natural part of their daily routines. Almost 30 per cent of Danes and Swedes living in cities regularly cycle to and from work and 50 per cent of Swedes enjoy regular long walks as either part of their daily activities or as a form of relaxation. There’s also such thing as Nordic Walking, an exercise that originated in Finland, which adds modified ski poles into walking to up the ante for your upper body. And the winter doesn’t stop them either.

In Sweden, approximately 50 per cent of the population undertakes regular cardiovascular activity during the long winter months (where temperatures plummet to below -20 degrees) – a practice that has that proven to burn more calories and help to prevent SAD.

They may be blessed with beautiful natural surroundings, but considering our extremely fast-paced – sometimes sedentary – lifestyles, we could do well to take a leaf out of their books and enjoy the simpler pursuits in life; after all, exercise really can do the world of good.

Be nice to others

It may sound like something your mother used to say, but the notion that ‘making others happy will make you feel happy too’ is actually completely spot on. The Law of Jante, a cultural believe of the Scandinavians, comprises 10 rules that state that each person should not seek to be special or better than anybody else. Ultimately the law encourages treating others well, which in turn will make both you and others happier. Indeed, in Norway and Iceland, 93 per cent and 98 per cent of people respectively say that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need – so something’s clearly working.

Enjoy a Scandi diet

Herring, mackerel, boiled potatoes, rye bread, root veggies and Smorgasbord (bread and butter buffet tables) – all are staples in the Scandi diet, all of which have been shown to offer excellent health benefits. The high levels of protein, omega-3s and antioxidants in fatty fish and low GI rye bread, for example, have been linked to the Nordic peoples’ good health and will fill an appetite quickly and healthily. They also use fewer ingredients, instead focusing on high-quality, local offerings. Try it for yourself and feel the benefits.