It seems that with stunning regularity that people coming from a Scandinavian country are way happier than all the rest of us. Recently Finland topped the poll boasting the happiest and most contented country in the world. The United Nations come up with a list every year, possibly for something them to do, and Denmark, Norway and Sweden usually feature somewhere in the top 10. What is the secret of these people? One thing they have is log cabins and so you could try getting closer to the lifestyle by looking at Log Cabins for sale in Northern Ireland for example. Try http://logcabinsnorthernireland.com/ for some ideas.
Maybe it’s the smell of the fir tree and the solid feel of the wood around you like a big comfy blanket. A real life roaring in the grate or a super energy effect underfloor heating system utilising hot water, the Scandinavian countries are very “green” in their outlook, that reassures you. It’s long been said by Spiritualists and pagans that hugging a tree is great for sucking out the negative energy accumulated in the city or in the office so if your home is made out of the stuff surely all those positive vibes have to have a benefit to your mental wellbeing and general humour. Settle back into your IKEA chair and put on some of the fantastic Scandinavian music. They have given us such great bands as ABBA (Sweden), A-HA (Norway) and Eurovision winners plus World of Warcraft enthusiasts, presumably, Lordi (Finland).
The cold could also be a factor. The Scandinavian countries are located with at least some part in the Arctic Circle. This means that at least they get a season they can track unlike us herein the UK. When it’s December they know it’s going to be very cold. We are subject to the whims and wishes of the Atlantic Ocean which delights in bringing us mild and unsettled wet weather any time of the year. Having said that you can experience a month of nights or a month of daylight up the far reaches of the Scandinavian countries. Apparently, this can seriously mess up your circadian rhythms that people are likely to become a but unusual (and create bands like Lordi). The cold and the seasons create a need for a sense of community to get through these winters and maybe that’s part of the secret to.
The diet is mainly Fish and Vegetables with the delight meatball to provide a bit of difference. The focus is very much on fresh things though. They are big on food being salted and in one disgusting Norwegian fish dish that is left buried underground till it’s mouldy. They even hang salted fish up to be dried by the North Sea winds, adding even more salt. Never goes off though. Finally, we should mention the sauna. This is also an example of the family together slowly cooking themselves in a wooden steam room (logs again!) then jumping into a cold lake to cool off. It’s all about community and family. Better get checking out that website then, the UK is 18 places below them!