What is hygge (hyo-gah), and why is it good for your health? The Danish concept of hygge is hard to translate. It is a concept that encourages you to take time away from the daily rush to enjoy the good things in life. Because of the long winters in Denmark, hygge mostly occurs in peoples' homes, with friends playing board games, enjoying warm beverages, and having regular dinners around the table. In the summer, hygge is fostered in the cultivations of gardens and outdoor get-togethers.

Hygge is a way of life- a state of mind- that centers around self-care, gratitude, and joy.  It pushes against the productivity pressures of American culture and fosters a slower, more focused approach to your day. It's a form of self-care and brings elements of mindfulness directly tied to your well-being! It is more than setting up a cozy corner of your house (although that is part of it!). 

So why should we care so much about hygge? 

Good question!  The Little Book of Hygge author Meik Wiking founded The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and is working to answer that question. He is the leading expert on hygge's impacts on health and notes that human well-being is more than wealth. There is a growing body of evidence that shows that our built environment has direct impacts on our well-being and mental health. One study by the Happiness Research Institute shows that our home environment accounts for 15% of our overall happiness. 

The Happiness Research Institute notes that we must design spaces that allow people and nature to thrive holistically to create a truly sustainable environment.

“Happiness, not money or prestige, should be regarded as the ultimate currency—the currency by which we take measure of our lives.” Tal Ben Shachar, 2007

The Complexity of Happiness

Happy people live longer, are healthier, more productive, engaged, and more social overall. Our happiness is a complex interplay that includes a sense of purpose, empowerment, relationships, age, gender, aspirations, and others. According to the World Happiness Report, happiness is closely tied to social equality, community spirit, and personal empowerment. For hundreds of years, the Danish have consistently ranked as one of the happiest cultures in the world. Denmark is also among the top countries with the world's lowest income disparities, allowing people to feel empowered in their own lives.  

How do Hygge and Happiness Relate to My Health?

The American work and life imbalance system has helped lead to epidemic levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout.  Many professionals I work with find that after obtaining their doctorates and achieving work success, they still feel empty and unsatisfied. Once they succeed, many feel pressure to maintain success to feel valued or worthy. Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks has spent years researching the association between achievement, wealth, notoriety, and a sense of satisfaction. He writes:

"The insatiable goals to acquire more, succeed conspicuously, and be as attractive as possible lead us to objectify one another, and even ourselves. When people see themselves as little more than their attractive bodies, jobs, or bank accounts, it brings great suffering…You become a heartless taskmaster to yourself, seeing yourself as nothing more than Homo economicus. Love and fun are sacrificed for another day of work, in search of a positive internal answer to the question Am I successful yet? We become cardboard cutouts of real people."

According to one study, 79% of Americans believe they would be happier with more money. The late Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen, author of How Will You Measure Your Life? posed several questions to his students and encouraged them to make a strategy for their lives that includes fostering relationships with the people they love, maintaining a clear purpose in life, and measuring life by the people whose lives you've touched.

So, I maintain that hygge is a concept worth considering deeply. It is not just buying cozy things like candles and blankets-- but instead involves considering the sustainability and interconnectivity of life. The wealth of evidence shows we can obtain deeper life satisfaction by cultivating mindfulness and meaningful connections with others. Won't you join me on this journey?