In November 2022 we presented on “Well-Being in Winter” to a huge audience of newly arrived internationals for the City of Helsinki. The purpose of the presentation was to help people adjust to the long, dark and cold winters of Helsinki and Finland in generally. Now that it’s that time of year again, we thought it might be good to share our top tips with our readers.
First, a quiz! Answers are at the bottom of this post:
What percentage of people living above 60 degrees latitude north of the equator live in Finland?
A. About 15%
B. About 25%
C. About 40%
What degree above the horizon does the sun rise at midday in Finland in November?
A. 8%
B. 17%
C. 32%
How much Vitamin D can you get from sunlight (UV light) in Finland during the months November through to February?
A. About a quarter of the normal amount
B. About half of the normal amount
C. None at all
When will spring arrive in Helsinki (green grass, no snow, temperatures above 10 degrees)?
A. About Easter time
(March/April)
B. Definitely by the end of April
C. Definitely by the middle of May
As you can see from this quiz (and the answers if you have checked), Helsinki is extremely far north. It is the largest city with the highest latitude in the world. It is essentially a near-Arctic climate, with surprisingly warm summers compared to other places at the same latitude. This means the amount of light is extremely different in summer and winter. The winters are extreme and last a long time. Accepting these simple facts are necessary before learning how to increase your well-being.
One thing that helps with coping with the winter is having the right equipment – and by this we mean the right clothes, shoes and winter sports equipment. Items that we recommend are winter boots (with the option for spikes for ice, or removable ice grips) and a huge padded jacket that is long enough. Also essential are hats, gloves (skiing gloves or mittens for very cold weather), and scarfs, as well as warm woolen socks. Equipment for fun can be ice skates, toboggans/sleds, fat-tire bikes, skis and snowboards. When you are warm enough you can have fun outdoors. You should never feel cold while walking outside – always increase the amount of clothing and accessories to feel comfortable. This will have a huge impact on your well-being in winter.
A reason for this is that it is very important to do outdoor activities during winter. These can include sledding on hills, winter walking with ice spikes and walking poles, ice swimming, ice wind surfing, skiing, ice skating and ice hockey, and snowboarding. Even if you are not doing a winter activity listed here, it is important to leave the house at least once a day even when you feel like staying indoors for days at a time. This is really important for your mental health during winter.
Other important factors for your well-being are:
- Meeting up with friends and family for events like parties, indoor and outdoor activities, or just staying cosy indoors together.
- Also just meet up with people in general – if you have a dog, talk to people on your walks. Go to lunch with colleagues and friends. Meet people through hobbies and activities.
- Keep cosy with “hygge” – join in the traditions of using candles/lights, drinking hot drinks like glögi, wearing your warm socks indoors and staying in for a peaceful evening alone or with friends.
- Engage in activities that give you a feeling of flow – maybe an indoor hobby or sport, reading, knitting, or festive activities like floral wreath making.
- Feeling accomplished can also improve well-being, so learning new skills and getting good at them can improve your mood. You can do something you already know, or learn something new. There are many courses available in English with Arbis and Työväenopisto that you can sign up to during the winter months, for crafts, carpentry, languages, etc…
- Some special winter activities include snow ball lanterns and iceblock castles – if the weather gets cold enough! You can also consider signing up to a cross-country skiing course or learning how to ice skate.
Also, think about your integration into Finland – you can value your own cultural traditions while also valuing Finnish cultural traditions. Learn about Finnish culture during the winter months, like Christmas events and the “pikkujoulu” (Christmas party) season, or visiting the graveyard on Christmas Eve. It can help to also think about the meaning of being in Finland – what does it mean for you to be here? Are you here for education or work? Or for family reasons, for yourself or your children? Remembering that you are choosing to be in Finland during winter time can help as well. And finally, we recommend taking 50 to 100μg of Vitamin D everyday during winter as this acts as a hormone to keep you feeling energetic during the long, dark months. If you want to read more about how to avoid seasonal depression, we have a separate blog article on this topic.
I hope that these tips will help you this winter season, but if you feel you still need professional help, you are welcome to email us at info@compasspsychology.fi at anytime to make an appointment with a mental health professional.
(Answers to quiz: 1. C – 42%, 2. A – 8%, 3. C – none at all, 4. C. Definitely by the middle of May)
