{"id":43240,"date":"2020-04-23T17:35:45","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T17:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelspan.in\/?p=43240"},"modified":"2020-06-08T18:10:14","modified_gmt":"2020-06-08T18:10:14","slug":"find-your-finnish-calm-5-tips-for-happiness-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelspan.in\/find-your-finnish-calm-5-tips-for-happiness-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Find your (Finnish) calm \u2013 5 tips for happiness at home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\nThere is no reason to forget what makes us happy\u2014especially on March 20, which is the United Nations\u2019 annual International Day of Happiness<\/a>. This day has been marked since 2013 as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. The UN issued its annual World Happiness Report, which ranks 156 countries around the world. 
For the third year in a row, Finland was named the happiest country in the world.  
So what makes the Finns so happy\u2014and what can we learn from them during this time of global turmoil caused by an outbreak of coronavirus?   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also what makes Finland home to the happiest people on earth, These are lessons that anyone around the world can integrate into their own lives during normal times or if you\u2019re staying at home and sheltering in place due to coronavirus.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you ask a Finn, what makes us happy, one of the answers is nature.  Finns like to put on a pair of rubber boots, head to the woods to slow down and calm our mind. About 70 per cent of our country is covered by forest and travellers fall in love with Finland\u2019s clean air, serenity and silence. Now, however, is not the time to travel, but rather focus on the health and well being of oneself and those around us.
Visit Finland would like to share some simple tips on how to find your calm at home \u2013 the Finnish way \u2013 while you dream about your next adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TIP 1 \u2013 Start your day with a cold shower<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(instead of a dip in a lake or the sea)
The Finns love winter swimming as much as they love the sauna. The secret of plunging into icy water lies in the feeling that surges through your body once you get out of the water \u2013 as soon as you\u2019re back on dry land your circulation kicks in and your body starts to warm up and makes you feel happy. Your body is producing
the mood-balancing hormone serotonin with dopamine, and stress starts to melt away. The easiest way to do this at home is to take an ice-cold shower for a couple of minutes. If you do it in the morning, your day couldn\u2019t ask for a more refreshing way to start your day. Dive into your inner Finnish mentality \u201cSisu\u201d, and just do it! You can alternate cold and warm showers to get a \u201csauna\u201d feeling, and your blood circulating even better.
Learn more about Finnish mentality Sisu here:<\/strong>
https:\/\/finland.fi\/arts-culture\/sisu-within-finnish-key-life-love-success\/<\/a>
Learn more about winter swimming:<\/strong>
https:\/\/www.visitfinland.com\/article\/a-refreshing-dip-icy-waters\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TIP 2 \u2013 Make sense of the world by reading<\/strong>
(instead of visiting a library)
Books are close to the Finns\u2019 hearts. There are many libraries in Finland with Helsinki\u2019s Oodi being the newest library to open in 2019 and was awarded the best public library in the world the same year*. In 2016 the United Nations named Finland the world\u2019s most literate nation, and Finns love books\u2014as well as public libraries. In fact, Helsinki\u2019s new Oodi library was awarded the best public library in the world<\/a> in 2019. \u201cWe are 5.5 million people, and we borrow close to 68 million books a year,\u201d  But if you can\u2019t get to a library, no matter. Reading a book at home or online will have the same impact on your mental health and happiness. \u201cAbove all, reading (any) book is surely more relaxing than surfing social media,\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to really get into the Finnish spirit? Check out the Moomins<\/a>, which are white, hippo-like characters created by the writer and artist Tove Jansson in the 1940s. \u201cToday the Moomins are part of the Finnish identity, inspiring generations over and over from children to adults,\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 3 \u2013 Experience a relaxing forest path on your sofa<\/strong>
(instead of walk in an actual forest)
There is something magical about the forest and the Finnish soul has always been linked with it. The green color is calming; the gentle rustling of the leaves and pine needles is like music. Finns feel good in the forest. The forest roots us and helps us remember who we are and where we come from. In the forest we
don\u2019t feel being alone or even lost \u2013 the forest provides protection and peace for us.
It has been scientifically proven that only 15 minutes in the forest calms your pulse and your body starts to rest; what a wonderfully simple cure for stress! So, please close your eyes, stretch yourself on the sofa, and have an imaginary sound trip to the Finnish forest.  You can experience the relaxing sounds of Finnish Lapland by listening to Scapes album on
Spotify: https:\/\/www.lapland.fi\/visit\/sound-of-lapland\/scapes\/<\/a>
More about therapeutically effects of forests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Can you believe? This is how 15 minutes in a forest affects you!<\/a><\/blockquote>