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The lagom guide to soothing the soul


Sleep is nature’s way of helping us to de-clutter the mind and restore our body and soul. Without enough of it we function less effectively, damaging our health and well-being in the long run. But it’s not just a great night’s sleep that creates a balanced state of mind. While I’ve lived in Sweden, I’ve grown to appreciate that slowing down and enjoying humble activities – like relaxing in a sauna and being outdoors – allows you to to switch off, live in the moment and enjoy the small things in life. I’ve also learnt that a back-to-basics holiday, requiring little planning or budget, can be the antidote to a world that’s constantly stressful.

SLEEP

There’s a lot to be said for a great night’s sleep. You know, those mornings when you wake up rested and raring to go? I’m told there are several key factors involved in creating a calming pre-bedtime ritual, and in my mind the Swedes do a whole lot right in the bedroom department (after all, they’re the ones who start the day eye-wateringly early).

So, what’s their secret? Helena Kubicek Boye, Swedish psychologist and author of The Art of Sleep and The Three Balloons (a sleep story for children), says you need to prepare yourself both physically and mentally before going to bed.

‘A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow.’

Charlotte Brontë


© Niki Brantmark


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Preparing the mind

What you do mentally before you go to bed is key to a restful slumber. ‘On the whole, your bed should be used for sex and sleep,’ advises Kubicek Boye. It’s advised that everything else should stay out of the bedroom.

So stalking ex-boyfriends on Facebook isn’t OK? It seems not. Not only will a scroll through your favourite social-media feed before bed likely lead to a serious case of FOMO, but it will also hinder your beauty sleep. A recent study7 in Norway found that screen light affects your ability to fall asleep and reduces the quality of your slumber. Experts recommend you avoid using any screen for up to an hour before bedtime.

So now that binge-watching the latest series on Netflix is out of the question, what should we be doing before bed?

Pre-bedtime activities

When it comes to sleep-inducing activities, Kubicek Boye lists plenty of the usual things, and a few good old-fashioned analogue activities, too:

+ reading a book

+ taking a warm bath

+ listening to calm music

+ knitting

+ embroidery

+ painting (or mindful colouring)

+ cuddling up with family and pets

Keep a diary

Often when the lights go out, thoughts and worries from the day creep in. Keeping a journal is a great way to reflect on the events of the day, offload niggling worries and clear your mind before sleep.

The kvällspromenad

mångata (n.): The glimmering, roadlike reflection the moon creates on water.


It’s not uncommon to take a kvällspromenad, or evening walk, in Sweden – even if you don’t have a dog. It usually takes place sometime after supper and involves an amble around the neighbourhood. It’s a great way to relax and, depending on the weather, cools down your body temperature, naturally preparing you for sleep. Plus, if you live near water, it also gives you the opportunity to gaze at the mångata, a Swedish term for the beautiful trail of moonlight reflected on water.


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Five ways to sleep like a Swede

Go au naturel Swedes commonly shun traditional nightwear in favour of underwear – or simply nothing at all. Not only are Swedish homes incredibly well insulated but sleeping in less also helps keep you cool. And this improves the quality of your sleep.

Divide and conquer Book yourself into a Swedish hotel and you’ll be surprised to find two single duvets instead of a double – and I’ve found this to be universal across all Swedish marital beds. Friends tell me that this allows you to choose a duvet cover with a thickness that’s lagom for you and means you can stick out naked limbs at whim.

Keep it clean Ensure your bedroom is clutter-free, and avoid busy patterns in the decor.

Keep it calm The Swedish bedroom, with its soft, muted colour palette, minimalist furnishings and airy feel, is the epitome of calm. Think white and light grey walls, pure linen bedding (great for keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter) and layers of natural texture for cooler evenings. It’s a simple space and a calming oasis in which to switch off from the stresses and strains of daily life.

Create darkness The sleep-inducing hormone melatonin is connected to the stimulation around us. By darkening your room, you’re telling your body it’s time to go to sleep. Use blackout blinds and cover any LED lights.

THE MORNING DIP

Blessed with 11,500km (over 7,000 miles) of coastline (not including the islands) and around 100,000 lakes, it’s little wonder the Swedes love to bathe. But one type of al fresco bathing stands out: the morgondopp, or morning dip. Most commonly enjoyed between May and September (although some hardy types go year-round), the morgondopp is usually enjoyed first thing in the morning before coffee. The bather dons a dressing gown and wanders down to the local bathing deck.

The length of time you stay in the water depends on the temperature, which I’ve noticed is something of a national obsession. Bathing piers wouldn’t be complete without a small thermometer bobbing on the end of a string. Some people decide their bathing ‘season’ around these numbers. For example, my parents-in-law, Inger and Bo, begin their season when the mercury rises above 10°C (50°F)! ‘As soon as I hit the water, I feel completely awake and ready for the day ahead,’ enthuses Inger. ‘It’s just you and the great expanse of water. It’s an incredibly humbling experience and so relaxing to feel the warm sun and cool breeze on your body afterwards.’

No excuses!

Nowhere near any sea, river, stream or lake? Try ending your daily shower with a cold-water blast. It may not be as mindful or empowering as a saltwater swim, but you’ll still get many of the physiological benefits and will almost certainly wake up with a jolt!

‘She loved the sea. She liked the sharp, salty smell of the air, and the vastness of the horizons, bounded only by a vault of azure sky above. It made her feel small, but free as well.’

George R. R. Martin A Storm of Swords


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Five great reasons to enjoy a morning dip

Boost your immunity A study by Czech scientists found that immersing your body in cold water daily indicated an increased number of white blood cells in your body.8 These activate your immune system and boost your health.

Get a natural high and relieve pain When you jump into cold water, your body releases endorphins in reaction to the burning sensation on your skin. This rush also acts as an anti-inflammatory, momentarily eliminating aches and pains.

Relieve allergies Hay fever sufferers (of which I am one) will be interested to hear that sea water acts as a natural nasal decongestant, cleansing pollen from nasal passages without irritating the skin.

Boost your sex life As if I haven’t given you reason enough! Immersing yourself in cold water is said to increase testosterone and oestrogen, which boosts the libido.

Get happy A study9 by Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine found that submerging yourself in cold water could have antidepressive effects.

See you at the water’s edge!

How to enter cold water – from a year-round bather

‘Instead of thinking how cold it’s going to be, the key is to relax and focus on positive factors, such as the beautiful scenery, the stillness of the ocean, the formation of birds as they swoop across the sky, or the freedom you’ll feel once you’re in the water.’

Maibritt Johnsson, Malmö, Sweden


plain picture/Cavan Images

SAUNA

Ask people for a word associated with Sweden and ‘sauna’ will likely pop up high on the list. Simply referred to locally as bada bastu, or a casual basta, sauna use varies widely across the country. There are avid users who choose to go alone, arriving at the crack of dawn to enjoy the peace and tranquillity. Others use the session to catch up with a friend, and there are even whole groups who meet as part of a monthly sauna club (my husband being one).


Ferrantraite/Getty Images

Either way, the routine is generally the same. The idea of the bada bastu is to perspire au naturel in hot, dry heat in a small wood-lined room until you feel the need to cool off. You then submerge your body in cold water (whether that’s a dip in the sea, a cold shower or a roll in the snow – brrrrrr!) and relax for a while in the great outdoors before repeating the process (usually up to three times).

Although some people enjoy private saunas, most large towns in Sweden have a public sauna – it’s a bit of an institution. A British friend once observed that the public sauna is ‘the closest thing the Swedes have to the local village pub’. It’s an establishment where everyone’s welcome, prejudices are stripped away at the door (along with clothes), and people of all ages and backgrounds sit together in harmony.

The ‘nude’ aspect of the Swedish sauna may leave the more prudish among us positively squirming. But, hygiene factors aside, going in your birthday suit enhances the wonderful, unpretentious nature of the activity. No one is there to flaunt their figures or eye up others. Instead, people of all shapes and sizes sit side by side for the same purpose: to cleanse the body and soul and to relax. Just don’t forget to bring a small towel to sit on!

Reasons to bada bastu

The positive effects of taking a sauna are well documented. While the heat helps to flush away impurities, leaving you with a glowing complexion, the hot–cold treatment helps relieve stress, improve circulation, boost immunity and relieve pain. In fact, a recent study by the University of Eastern Finland even found that frequent sauna use is good for your heart!10

So why not find a sauna in your area? Your mind and body will thank you for it. If the idea of going in the buff makes you feel a little hot under the collar, rest assured that in the UK it’s standard to wear a bathing suit or cover your dangly bits with a strategically placed towel – phew!

Sauna etiquette

+ Take a small towel to sit on.

+ Leave your clothes and bathing suit at the door (unless it’s mixed sex or you’re in the UK).

+ Keep your voice low.

+ Make room for others as they enter.

+ Check with others before throwing water over the coals.


Henrik Trygg/Getty Images

INTO THE WILD

Mention there’s a forest down the road, and a Swede will be off faster than you can fill your Thermos. Sweden has 29 national parks and more than half of the country is covered in forest, so the countryside is a huge part of life. Allemansrätten, translated as ‘everyman’s right’, gives people the right to roam freely and enjoy activities such as foraging for wild fruit and camping wherever they choose (as long as they’re not disturbing others). As a result, it’s not unusual for Swedes to take a picnic and enjoy an outdoor adventure no matter the weather – with activities ranging from hiking to sailing, kayaking, cross-country skiing and even dog-sledding.

I’m convinced these activities contribute to the Swedes’ inner calm, and there are an increasing number of studies showing nature’s significant positive effects. A 2016 campaign by The Wildlife Trusts found people who regularly engaged in activities connected to nature showed a significant increase in happiness and health.11 Other research has also shown nature to soothe, heal and help restore our minds, as well as boost creativity. The next time you’re feeling the heat, why not pack a picnic and head outdoors?

‘There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is a society where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not Man the less, but Nature more.’

Lord Byron, Childe Harold, Canto IV, Verse 178


Matt Thomason/Unsplash


Blake Lisk/Unsplash

Five ways to enjoy the great outdoors

Smultronställe (n.): lit. ‘Place of wild strawberries’ A special place discovered, treasured, returned to for solace and relaxation; a personal idyll free from stress or sadness.


Pack a picnic and head to your nearest wood or forest (even if it rains, you’ll have a natural canopy overhead).

Break out the wellies for an afternoon and go foraging for berries, herbs or mushrooms. You’ll be amazed by what you can find (though be sure to check with an expert to see if what you’ve found is edible).

Take a stroll along a beach and enjoy shell-seeking or casting stones into the water. A Thermos of coffee and a blanket will keep you warm while you stop and gaze at the horizon.

Rent a kayak or stand-up paddle (SUP) and head to a nearby river, lake or shoreline.

If you live near the sea, put your name forward to crew at a local sailing club. A patient skipper will appreciate the extra deckhand and be happy to show you the ropes.

Dare to go alone

My Swedish friend Yvonne recounted how she’d once gone on a solitary five-day hike across a nature reserve. Although she confessed that ‘it’s incredible just how many noises there are in the woods at night’, the only time she was uncomfortable was when a party set up camp next to her and played the guitar until the small hours. Above all else, she enthused about how liberating and empowering the experience was.

To be honest with you, I can’t quite see myself camping alone in the woods at night, but it does inspire me to head out for a few hours to feel the power of being alone in nature, and I hope it does the same for you. It’s in these solitary moments that you appreciate the rustle of the leaves in the wind, the sound of the breaking waves or the distant melody of a lark. The unbroken spell of nature allows you to slow down, switch off and be alone with your thoughts – something of a rarity in the noisy world in which we live today.

Whistle while you walk

If you do head out to a forest alone, be careful to whistle, stamp your feet and generally make some noise – bears and wolves are shy but hate being caught off guard!


Megan Lewis/Unsplash


Sandis Helvigs/Unsplash

A beginner’s guide to foraging

If you go to the Swedish woods in late summer/early autumn, you’ll come across people armed with baskets, scouring the forest floor for edible mushrooms, berries and other delicacies. Foraging is a skill that requires knowledge, patience and an eager eye, but once you get the hang of it, it’s great fun and incredibly mindful. And it makes for a tasty supper, too! It’s amazing what you can find at your feet if you just open your eyes. Here’s how to get started:

+ Find out more about the foliage in your area: identify the different species of weed, bush or tree. Learn what’s in season and at what point it should be harvested, and check it’s not on the endangered-species list.

+ Identify poisonous plants and never, ever eat anything you’re not 150 per cent sure about: always check your wares, preferably with an expert.

+ Gather only what you need and avoid taking everything from the patch; it’s also important to give the area time to recover before you return.

+ Avoid polluted areas, whether it’s the roadside or places where crops have been treated by chemicals.

+ Have fun: edible wild food can be quite hard to find, but if you make a day of it and take a picnic, it’ll be worth the effort.

Five edible mushrooms and where to find them*

*Mushrooms can be deadly poisonous, so always consult an expert before consuming.


+ Chicken-of-the-woods – Laetiporus sulphureus Once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll find this yellow-orange mushroom everywhere on the trunks and branches of living and felled trees.


+ Lion’s mane – Hericium erinaceus This distinct and delectable mushroom can be found on dying or recently felled hardwood trees like maples, sycamores and oaks.


+ Chanterelle mushroom – Cantharellus cibarius The chanterelle is a forager’s favourite because it’s delicious. You can find it almost everywhere in the world.


+ Cauliflower mushroom – Sparassis Usually found living in the roots or at the base of a hardwood tree, the cauliflower mushroom is best picked when white and is delicious served in an omelette.


+ Porcini mushroom – Boletus edulis Found on a hardwood forest floor near chestnuts, spruce, pine and hemlock, this mushroom has a nutty taste and is a real gourmet treat.

HOLIDAYS

‘Away is good but home is best.’ Swedish proverb


If you visit Sweden in June, you’ll feel a buzz of excitement in the air. The warm weather will have arrived and people all over the country are preparing to shut their laptops and shut up shop for the summer. Some may stay put and enjoy some downtime in their own back garden; others will visit a basic summer cottage by the water’s edge or go camping. Either way, the goal is the same: to take time off to enjoy the simple things in life – long hours of daylight, nature and being together with friends and family.


plainpicture/Johner/Platform

The basic summer cottage

Living in Sweden has reconfirmed my belief that you don’t have to spend a lot to have a magical holiday. The Swedish summer holiday is about taking time out and going back to basics to enjoy the simple things in life – whether that’s simply hanging out at home or heading to a small, basic summer cottage by the sea or deep in the heart of the countryside, to enjoy reading, baking, bathing, board games, crafting or simply hanging out with friends and family and drinking in as much sunlight as possible before the autumn leaves start to fall.

In a fast-paced digital world, taking time just to ‘be’ is the perfect antidote. Expectations are minimized – it’s a fuss-free adventure without a large investment, and there’s no pressure: no flights to catch, no currencies to decipher or schedules to stick to. The time is simply there for you to enjoy in whichever way you choose.

The next time you’re booking your vacation, I can highly recommend finding a small cottage or cabin not far from home. It doesn’t have to be grand – in fact, the smaller and more basic the better. It only needs to be somewhere you can switch off and chill out – no Pokémon GO in sight!

Camping

Camping is the perfect way to enjoy a slower-paced life and the freedom that comes from enjoying the vastness of nature, without keys or a credit card in your pocket. Head out to the countryside, find a secluded spot and soak up the fresh air and peaceful environment. Not much of a Boy Scout/Girl Guide? Find a ‘glamp’ site near you for camping with a touch of comfort, like a proper bed and a hot-water bottle. You’ll still find the odd spider, though!


Glen Jackson/Unsplash

Five ways to enjoy camping

Have all the gear and some idea! Make sure you’re properly equipped with everything you need and test it in the garden (or in your sitting room!) before you set off. That way you won’t forget vital items, such as the tent poles (been there, done that!). Likewise, pack suitable clothing for all conditions, a first-aid kit and that all-important mosquito repellent!

Find an incredible setting The beauty of camping is that you can decide on the view! Set aside some time to research great camping spots before you head off and then choose the perfect place to pitch your tent on arrival, ensuring it’s flat, with good drainage, and has the most stunning view!

Make the most of what nature has to offer Embrace the simple things in life and enjoy swimming in a lake or the sea, hiking, or just taking in the scenery, followed by an evening under the stars!

Ensure a good night’s sleep Unless you’re Bear Grylls, you’ll appreciate some home comforts. Pack an inflatable or foam mattress, your pillow and even some ear plugs and an eye mask – and wake up rested and raring to go!

Treat yourself You may love baked beans – in which case, great! But if you prefer something a little more gourmet, there are many fantastic one-pot recipes out there – and don’t forget the hot chocolate and marshmallows!

Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life

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