Positive Psychology Expert, Dr Happy on boosting your mood this winter with Hygge

Influenced by the cold weather, shorter days and longer nights, the winter months have been proven to affect the moods of Australians dramatically.

In fact, new research from Australia’s largest meal kit delivery service, HelloFresh, has revealed that 53% of the nation is experiencing winter woes - impacting our eating habits, comfort levels, motivation and more.

However, winter can also be used to boost our moods as seen through the Danish concept of Hygge (pronounced, hyoo-guh).

Embracing cosiness to boost our mental and physical well-being, Hygge encourages us to find comfort in the discomfort - something we all need during winter.

To help Aussies find joy as the mercury drops, HelloFresh has partnered with Australia’s ‘Dr Happy’, Dr Tim Sharp to share five simple ways Aussies can bring this touch of Scandinavia into their homes.

Atmosphere is everything

For a nation whose winters often drop to -2 degrees Celsius with only a few hours of sunlight per day, Danes are experts in creating warm, cozy environments. Fostering the perfect comforting atmosphere is key to bringing Hygge into the home as our sensory experience directly correlates to our moods.

Consider introducing warmed-tone lights, candles and soft textures to evoke feelings of warmth and relaxation. Small additions like blankets, throws and pillows are also easy additions to help cultivate a comforting environment.

On the other hand, cold, dark environments, will promote loneliness and fatigue - feelings we want to avoid.

Temperature is also key. Extreme cold can make us feel sluggish and unmotivated. This is reflected in HelloFresh’s research, revealing that cold homes and poor heating are one of the biggest barriers to comfort in Australian households.

Warm up with heaters or better yet, a fireplace for the ultimate Hygge experience. Visit https://www.hellofresh.com.au/recipes/winter-recipes

The mind-gut connection

Our choices in food can both positively, and negatively impact our moods. Not only can a satiating meal increase our calmness and reduce irritability, but it can also impact our quality of sleep and our energy levels during the day. Meanwhile, an un-satiating meal will have the opposite effect.

Foods also have an amazing ability to warm us from the inside out - something we need more of in colder temperatures.

Hearty, winter-warmer meals rich in seasonal flavours like homestyle lasagnas or mushroom risottos like those available from HelloFresh are great options to bring Hygge-like comfort and joy to your stomach and tables.

Embrace quality time

As we spend more time indoors during winter, our socialisation levels are also impacted. Without quality time with our friends and family, we can develop feelings of isolation and loneliness. In fact, Aussies are more likely to associate winter with sadness and loneliness than any other emotion - an extremely upsetting fact.

To navigate this, we need to make a conscious effort to surround ourselves with loved ones by creating space for get-togethers within our homes.

Whether it’s curling up on the couch together over a cup of tea and a movie, or even a board game night with mates, this interpersonal connection is at the heart of Hygge and is essential to achieving the feeling of contentment..

Interpersonal time also promotes the creation of feel-good chemicals like dopamine, while preventing stress hormones such as cortisol.

Elevate your dining experience

For families, couples and even roommates, there’s a daily occurrence we can all tap into to elevate our feelings of comfort and connection, and that’s dinner time.

While Hygge doesn’t call for fine dining, it’s about simple pleasures and connection over good food.

Through tactics like styling your dining room with tablecloths, seasonal flowers and mood lighting, we can make dinner a nightly event for us to regroup and reconnect over a delicious meal.

The dinner table should be treated as the hub of the home and a central place for us to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

Bring nature indoors

Thanks to our beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests and vast bushland, Australia has built a reputation as an outdoorsy nation that loves to spend time in nature. But during winter when our time outdoors is restricted, our moods can be adversely affected.

To combat this, we need to reframe how we feel about our time indoors.

A simple way to achieve this is by bringing nature into the home. By adding flowers and greenery into your space, we can promote a sense of calmness and tranquillity, while satisfying the time in nature that we crave.

As an added benefit, plants also naturally purify the air for a healthier and happier environment.