Active Aging
The Danish embody a hygge (pronounced “hooga”) lifestyle to relax and enjoy simple pleasures when the winter winds blow. But what is hygge, exactly?
The Scandinavia Standard explains hygge this way: “Hygge is about coziness and surrounding yourself with the things that make life good, like friendship, laughter, and security, as well as more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink.”
Active adults 55+ can embrace hygge by slowing down and appreciating quiet moments, doing gentle exercises, reveling in nature, making social connections, and tuning into the world around with all five senses.
If the concept intrigues you but you’re unsure where to start, this guide offers a hygge-inspired challenge to incorporate the Danish practice into your fitness and self-care routine this winter.
Core Aspects of Hygge
Imagine it’s a blustery winter day outdoors and you’re inside, snuggled up in a blanket in front of a crackling fire, reading a book, intermittently sipping a cup of hot chocolate. Add up all these cozy elements and the collective feeling they offer — that’s hygge.
Hygge’s core aspects include:
- Creating a cozy and comfortable atmosphere in your emotional state and physical environment
- Using soft lighting or scented candles to create a warm, inviting space
- Spending quality time with friends, family, and co-workers
- Celebrating simple pleasures, like cooking an aromatic meal and sharing it with loved ones, or going on a nature walk
- Practicing mindfulness and being fully present in the moment, enjoying your surroundings, company, and activities
- Embracing each season’s unique qualities
- Prioritizing wellness and self-care in surroundings and a lifestyle that supports mental well-being, comfort, and relaxation
- Unplugging and enjoying in-person activities, like playing board games or doing puzzles
Incorporating Hygge in Fitness and Self-Care Routine
Hygge-inspired fitness might include doing yoga by candlelight, strolling through a winter festival to see the twinkling holiday lights, enjoying the smell of cinnamon-dusted pecans, savoring a sip of hot cocoa, listening to festive holiday music, or feeling cozy mittens warm your hands.
Self-care might mean soaking in a hot tub, getting a massage, or listening to songs that conjure cherished childhood memories. Hygge is doing anything that promotes a sense of feel-good, mental, and physical well-being.
How to Support Physical and Mental Well-Being with Hygge
Hygge practices vary for each person. So, always follow your physician’s orders regarding medical restrictions and limitations when incorporating hygge into fitness routines.
Overall, doing a combination of strength training, aerobic exercise, and balance exercises throughout the week is good for healthy aging.
Maintaining social connections, learning a new hobby, and practicing relaxation techniques relieves stress and promotes mental wellness.
You can apply hygge principles to all these things.
Hygge-Inspired Weekly Winter Challenge Ideas
You can fill an entire week with hygge-inspired activities that promote physical and mental well-being, relaxation, togetherness, and mindfulness in a cozy setting. You can rotate, tweak, or customize them as you wish to round out a month.
Here are some ideas (and always follow your doctor’s medical guidance):
- Monday – Bundle up and go for a walk through the neighborhood or a local park. Notice how your hat feels against your ears and how your gloves or mittens keep your hands warm. Listen to your boots as you walk. Do they crunch on snow? Search for wildlife in the trees, like a squirrel or a cardinal. Keep a nature journal that details your experience.
- Tuesday – Do chair yoga or resistance band exercises indoors in front of the fire (if you have a fireplace) or under soft lighting. Listen to classical music or your favorite soothing tunes as you exercise. Enjoy a warm bath or shower afterwards and wrap up in a soft, cozy robe and slippers.
- Wednesday – For hygge-inspired taste and smells, bake or cook some of your favorite foods and enjoy the aroma that wafts through the kitchen. Make something that invokes pleasant memories, like your grandma’s homemade bread, your mother’s chocolate chip cookies, or your signature spaghetti sauce. Invite friends or family members over to share lunch or dinner and play active games like charades or Pictionary that also make you laugh.
- Thursday – Do a random act of kindness to boost someone’s spirit. Send a friend a card, call a relative, pay for a stranger’s coffee, take holiday treats to a neighbor, or volunteer at a local charity.
- Friday – Enjoy a quiet night at home, curled up in a blanket, reading a book while sipping tea, or telling your favorite childhood memories to a family member who’s there or over the phone.
- Saturday – Get more exercise and quality social time by hosting a party that involves dancing to your favorite songs, eating tasty food, drinking hot cider, and laughing. To keep things hygge cozy, have a flannel or pajama party theme.
- Sunday – Go device-free for a day and be present for your spouse, children, grandchildren, or friends. Cook together, do a craft, host a book club meeting, watch movies, or just enjoy some undistracted conversation.
As a new week begins, change these activities and learn new hobbies, enjoy a new recipe, go on a nature scavenger hunt, do meditation, call a long-distance relative, and host a candlelight dinner. The hygge-inspired possibilities for each week are endless and up to you.
