Hygge life.
What is Hygge?
There is no literal translation for the word Hygge, pronounced hoo-gah.
It is more of a concept, a feeling. It’s about creating an atmosphere.
The definition of Hygge is cosiness and surrounding yourself with people and things that make life good;
- Family
- Friends
- Laughter
- Happiness
- Security
As well as the more tangible such as light, warmth, seasonal food and drinks.
Benefits of Hygge
Researchers continually find Denmark to have some of the happiest people on Earth.
Maybe we can learn something from them to keep us going through Winter.
Practicing Hygge promotes a sense of calm and peacefulness.
Creating a space that makes us feel secure can reduce feelings of anxiety and therefore promote emotional well-being and safety.
Emotional benefits of Hygge
- Less depression and anxiety
- Increased feelings of self-worth
- More optimism
- Lowered stress levels
- Improved self-compassion
In today’s fast-paced world, we can live in a state of heightened stress without realising it.
Stress has a massive effect on our hormones which can impact our weight, monthly cycles, and sleep.
By affecting these areas of our physical being we can suffer a lowered immune system which opens us up to all sorts of dis-ease.
Physical benefits of Hygge
- Balanced hormones
- Improved sleep
- Regulated weight
- Reduced need for unhealthy self-comforting behaviours such as overeating, and drug and alcohol dependency.
Wintertime can be a time of social isolation.
By using Hygge we can focus on building relationships with our loved ones in a safe and cosy environment.
Making meaningful connections has a positive effect on our health and well-being. It can;
- Increase intimacy and trust
- Provide togetherness
- Give feelings of comfort and safety
- Reduce reliance on social media
How to Hygge
In the Winter it is all about combating the cold and dark.
Use warm foods and drinks.
Think nutritious soups and stews, hot chocolate, or a hot toddy.
Surround yourself with fairy lights or candles and soft warm blankets and cushions.
Try cosying up with a good book or snuggling down with a loved one to binge-watch a good TV series or feel-good film.
Hygge at work
You don’t just have to Hygge at home.
Set up your workday to support hygge by;
- Having a plant or seasonal flower on your desk
- Stay hydrated with warming herbal teas
- Use a special mug
- Keep a warm blanket or cardigan on your chair to wrap up in
- Bring a nutritious and satisfying lunch in to look forward to
- Make break or lunch ‘dates’ to catch up with your favourite colleagues
- Have a scented candle or your favourite smelling hand cream on your desk to lift your spirits
Hygge through the seasons
Using Hygge in your life doesn’t have to be all about Winter.
We only have a few weeks now until the shortest day of the year and although January and February can feel like they stretch out forever, Spring will return.
- Spring Hygge can be garden parties with spring flowers or dodging rain showers in a cosy cafe.
- Summer Hygge is chilled-out BBQs with your favourite people and music, bonfires on the beach or picnics in the park.
- Autumn Hygge is finding your favourite cosy jumper and boots and going for a walk kicking the fallen leaves. Using the harvest to make apple pie and making chutneys or preserves to give you the taste of summer in the depths of winter.
Embracing these seasonal moments and celebrating the little things can help stave off the winter blues, especially after the excitement of the holidays.
But it’s not just the yearly seasons we can honour.
Living cyclically, whether with your menstrual cycle, the moon, or the rhythms of the year, allows us to reflect, rest, and recover so we can reemerge in the ‘summer’ of our seasons full of energy and vitality.
In the same way we embrace the seasons of nature, we can embrace the seasons of our lives.
Just as autumn gives way to winter, the autumn season of menopause can be a time to lean into comfort, reflection, and slowing down.
Using Hygge throughout the ‘seasons’ of your menstrual or moon cycle, and especially during menopause, allows you to nurture yourself and find joy in this transformative phase. It’s a time to find balance, celebrate small moments, and create warmth in all the right places.
What Next? Bringing Hygge into Menopause Well-being
As you explore the beauty of Hygge in your life, why not extend this nurturing practice to your menopause experience?
You can embrace the essence of Hygge through mindful nutrition, menstrual cycle awareness, or by syncing with the moon if you’ve transitioned out of your cycle.
Connecting with these natural rhythms creates space for your body and mind to feel truly supported.
Hygge isn’t just about physical comfort, it’s about cultivating harmony within yourself.
This gentle awareness can help you navigate hormonal changes with intention and confidence, leading to a more balanced and empowered experience.
If you’re ready to take this deeper, I invite you to join me for a complimentary Wild Well-being call, where we can discuss how to personalise this approach for your unique needs. Or consider joining my Moonlight Menopause: Align Your Nutrition with Natural Rhythms program, where we’ll explore how to nourish your body and spirit through each phase of your journey.
Embrace the comfort, balance, and beauty of Hygge as you align with the rhythms of your life.
A well-nourished body can thrive through menopause naturally.