Give winter a big hug
The world鈥檚 Northern Hemisphere has plunged into the dark heart of winter 鈥� the year鈥檚 shortest days and coldest temperatures.
In the Northeastern United States many wonder if last year鈥檚 鈥淪nowmageddon鈥� that buried the region in the white stuff will appear again. Some hope that this year鈥檚 El Ni帽o phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean will send warmer winds to spare them winter鈥檚 bitter blast.
But recent research in Norway suggests a time-honored approach to enjoying the season: Don鈥檛 dread winter; embrace it.
Recently a Stanford University researcher reported on her time in Troms酶, Norway, more than 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where she studied the effects of winter on mental health. Not only is Troms酶 bitterly cold, it鈥檚 dark: For two months the sun doesn鈥檛 rise above the horizon.
Her findings surprised her: When asked about winter depression, many people there didn鈥檛 know what she was talking about. Most were looking forward to the season.
鈥淣orwegians have a saying that 鈥榯here鈥檚 no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing,鈥� which typifies their ingrained belief that being active is part of a happy life 鈥� and, especially, a happy winter,鈥� writes Kari Leibowitz, a PhD candidate in psychology.
She wondered if the insights of Alia Crum, a Stanford psychology professor, might be evident in Troms酶. Dr. Crum鈥檚 research has shown that the 鈥渕ind-set鈥� or attitude people hold toward a stressful situation makes a huge difference in whether it causes mental or even physical problems, or actually enhances their mood and abilities.
While Ms. Leibowitz acknowledges more research is necessary, she says the Norwegians she observed didn鈥檛 necessarily even depend on getting outside or basking in a certain amount of daylight. They liked being indoors, too.
鈥淣orwegians embrace the idea of koselig, or 鈥榗oziness,鈥� 鈥� Leibowitz writes, 鈥渢hat making the conscious effort to light candles and fires, drink warm beverages, and snuggle under blankets can be enjoyable and relaxing.鈥�
To those in other cold climes, with their boots, scarves, and snow shovels standing ready, those are comforting words.
