5 Things We Do to Survive the Short Norwegian Winter Days
And a bonus tip we may try this year
Our days are getting noticeably shorter with sunsets happening around 3:30 in the afternoon at this point. We now have just under 7 hours of daylight each day, but by the shortest day of the year, December 21st, we will be at 4 hours and 22 minutes of daylight. Needless to say, this can mess with our circadian rhythm and overall mood. Below I’ll share some strategies we learned last year to help us through the long winter nights of Norway.
Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D supplementation is a must during the long winter nights in Norway. With limited sunlight, comes limited vitamin D exposure which is reflected by low levels of vitamin D in our bodies. This can lead to symptoms of fatigue, mood changes, hair loss, bone and back pain, muscle weakness and aches, and increased risk for infections. These are all things we want to obviously avoid during an already dreary season. We started our supplementation early, around the end of September to the beginning of October and will continue it throughout the winter months until we start getting sufficient sunlight again.
Warm Clothing
Warm clothing and layers is a must during a Norwegian winter. If you want to learn more about the art of layering your clothing, take a look at this post from a few weeks ago. Between colder temperatures, less daylight, little sunshine, rain/hail/ice/snow, and strong, unrelenting winds, Norwegian winters can be brutal. You must prepare with appropriate clothing. And don’t think you can make it from your car into the store without these layers. You may just blow away. Having the right gloves, hat, baselayers, jackets, neck warmers, pants, and boots really makes a difference. When you’re comfortable, your mood is slightly better. While shedding layers once indoors can be a pain, it is better than being chilled to the bone while outside.
En Koselig Atmosfære: A Cozy Ambiance
The term koselig is quintessentially Norwegian. Each Scandinavian or Nordic country has its own special word for the same feeling, but in general, it is a feeling of coziness. Some describe the meaning of the word a little further to relate to the feeling of a warm hug or comfort and togetherness. It is important to create en koselig atmosfære or “a cozy ambiance” in your home during the winter months. This can be accomplished first and foremost by filling your home with plenty of candles, think mainly tea candles with the occasional scented candle. You also want plenty of warm, cozy blankets laying around. A fire and warm beverage can really set the mood for a koselig evening as well. Many Norwegian households will hang lights in their windows to enhance the koselig vibe. These are usually hung around the holiday season and some stay up throughout the winter. I’m unsure how common it is, but both houses we’ve lived in here are also filled with lights that are on dimmers so that you can create the perfect overhead mood lighting as well. This ambiance isn’t just found in the home, many restaurants, cafes, and stores throughout the country attempt to create this koselig environment for their patrons. You will also find Norwegians describing an outing or person as koselig. It’s a word with a range of uses and a feeling cherished throughout the culture.
Entertainment: Game Nights, Parties, Puzzles, & More
Staying social and keeping our brains active throughout the winter months is also imperative to our overall well-being. We try to have people over frequently and accept invitations to our friends’ houses whenever they’re extended. We get together for dinners, game nights, movies, to spend a day in Trondheim, or to even take some trips. When we aren’t getting together with friends, we try to make sure we have puzzles, card games, movies, books, and other forms of entertainment to occupy our time at home together. I also like to test out new recipes and do a lot of cooking and baking in the winter, which I hope my family enjoys tasting as well.
Get Outside & Stay Active
While the weather may be less than ideal, it’s still important to get out of the house. When the sun is shining, or there’s at least a little daylight, it’s important to get outside. There are plenty of fun winter sport activities to partake in and many restaurants and cafes around town have outdoor heaters and blankets to enjoy your coffees and treats on the patio when the weather is agreeable-ish. We are hoping for a little more snow this year than last, so we can get outside and do some cross country skiing, a favorite pastime of the Norwegians.
Bonus: Sun lamps
One thing we haven’t tried just yet are sun lamps. Many individuals use sun lamps to treat or prevent seasonal depression or more milder winter blues. We kept this in mind last winter and planned to purchase a lamp if needed. Luckily, we never got to that point. It can also be a great source of preventive care. I haven’t decided if we will be purchasing any sun lamps this year, but it’s nice to know it’s an option if needed. We have had friends here use them and they do highly recommend them.
The dark winter months can certainly be a challenge, but utilizing these strategies to help us through will be key to a happy season. I’m looking forward to having plenty of excuses to cozy up on the couch with a warm beverage, blanket, and a good book as often as possible.
