The author of these pages spent his first winter in the «Far North» in Oslo. A very southern latitude by Nordic standards. Nevertheless, he notably felt the effect on rhythms and mood of the short winter days with a low sun. He intuited some common-sense methods to remedy the phenomenon, the implementation of which was a success. He shares them here.
[As an important disclaimer, please note we are not giving here medical advice. We are giving no advice at all. We are sharing measures that simply worked for us for coping with polar winter times. You should consult a medical doctor for advice on your health condition.]
#1 – Wake up early and be active
The most striking symptom during his first winter in the North was a total disruption of sleep. The sleep window gradually shifted: by December, no sleep before two or three in the morning, and fitful sleep until early afternoon. (A flexible schedule was necessary.) Spring restored some balance, but it was only in summer that he found a foolproof method – a very simple method: wake up early every day, at the same time, with an alarm clock.
Every day since, the alarm has been set for 6:45 AM – a slight adjustment of plus or minus 45 minutes remains negotiable, depending on bedtime, aiming for a sleep window of 9–9.5 hours of which perhaps 8.5–9 hours will actually be slept. Weekends and holidays are no exception, nor are vacations: this is not about social schedules but about happiness and full health.
The alarm sounds, and then what? Regardless of the day’s schedule, waking up has its imperative prescriptions for the method’s effectiveness. Wake and rise instantly when the alarm sounds – no «lingering in bed» phenomenon – and immediately, light and movement.
Turn on powerful lighting in the house, especially if it is dark outside – in winter it is, but you might also want to carry on with this daily ritual in summer, since sleep disruptions can hit then too.
Then, move your body, be active. You might want to do some conditioning exercises on a floor mat or a gentle yoga session. You might have a few chores to do: change the bed linens, start a washing machine, mop the kitchen floor. All of this works. If the weather is inviting, or even if by statistical preferences the weather is extreme – because you know how to dress warmly in all conditions – go out for a forty-five-minute walk, if possible in a quiet and natural setting. (Here, it should be noted that choosing a home close to nature presents a clear advantage.)
This first prescription goes a long way, and the following ones are no less important.
#2 – Walk under daylight daily
Take the sunlight hours that your latitude offers you, and spend most of them walking outdoors, under the sky, in natural light. It is cold in winter at 60.39N (Bergen, Norway), 67.80N (Levi, Finland) or 78.22N (Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway). The climate is extreme. It is windy, hails, storms and, naturally, snows. Walking is slow in soft snow. All of this is true. With a bit of experience of the Far North, you nevertheless learn to tolerate the cold, perhaps even to appreciate it, by equipping yourself adequately. Once you find the right clothing strategy, you will delight in the low winter suns filtering through the coniferous forests, the frozen springs and swamps, the sound of footsteps on snow.
Walking under natural light – let’s add in nature – has three virtues: the soothing nature and wonder at the landscapes, the light to give your circadian clock the vital cues for a rhythm without delay, and finally physical activity. Light and movement. Nature. Walk for at least an hour a day, when daylight is clearly up. Or like the author of these pages, plunge into the forest for three or four hours, even in the depths of winter, even at ‑30°C.
#3 – Exercise indoors and outdoors
A sound body for a sound mind. Sport – practiced safely and in appropriate proportions – is a good means to be happy. Not only endurance sport, not only resistance training: the combination of the two. Read the millennial advice of Hippocrates. Diet and activity hold a place of honor there. If sport does not cure mood, it doubtless contributes to its improvement.
A choice residence will be close to nature: the Far North is a paradise for hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, disc golf players, and of course cross-country skiers. The author of these lines has a weakness for ski-in, ski-out apartments. So, not a day without a morning ten-kilometer cross-country ski excursion in nature. Back in the warmth, a hearty meal (see point #4 below). In the end, it takes little to be happy. (Walt Disney)
in cross-country skiing in Lahti, Finland
On stormy days, go to the pool. Twice a week, go lift weights at the gym. The most recent scientific literature confirms that resistance training makes you happy.
#4 – Eat nutritious food
It is self-evident: rich, quality food promotes good health and good mood. In the far North when natural light dims and the day shortens, the importance of nourishing food gains in intensity. You can play with alternate-day fasting with a sixteen-hour window or lean weeks another time: the cold and footsteps on snow require significant energy expenditures from your physiology. More still, your physiology tested by the extreme daylight patterns of the Far North needs nutrients.
A full range: vitamins, trace elements and other minerals, essential fatty acids. Of course, an ample daily dose of protein and calories.
Think royal portions of vegetables, as colorful as possible: variegated with beta-carotene (carrots, Hokkaido pumpkin, sweet potato), with dark leafy greens (kale, spinach) rich in folate (vitamin B9), with vitamin B6 (chickpeas, potatoes, bananas), with zinc (chickpeas, green lentils, kidney beans), with everything red, purple, and blue-colored for anthocyanins (berries, red onion, red cabbage), with Brussels sprouts for vitamin C. The list goes on at length. Think variety and gustatory pleasure.
Icelanders invite us to revisit the latitude hypothesis in the epidemiology of winter depression: Icelanders, though very far North, do not seem statistically very prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder. The cause is not certain. Icelanders are notable fish eaters.
Think fatty fish. Herring, sardines, mackerel, wild salmon. The author of these lines admits to granting himself a generous daily portion of quality canned fatty fish in organic extra virgin olive oil. Fatty fish is rich in vitamin D, another of these ingredients that is lacking in the Far North. Fatty fish is rich in omega‑3 fatty acids which modulate neurotransmitter function, reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, and support circadian clock gene expression. On a slice of rye bread for the fiber, the protein, and the pleasure of taste.
#5 – Do seasonal light therapy
Light therapy is less a common sense method than an established treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder – winter depression, or whatever you might call your low winter mood. We add it to the list of personal tips, because personally, the effect was remarkably conclusive. We have also, through usage, adjusted a personal routine for use, which we detail here. For advice concerning the use of light therapy in your health condition, consult a doctor; we are not providing medical advice.
⋙ Read about light therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder
Abundant scientific literature, since the 1980s, indicates daily, morning use of a high-intensity light lamp to correct circadian biological rhythm shifts that cause mood disturbances. Since it corrects circadian misalignments—whose consequences for physiology and health extend far beyond symptoms of depression—it is not unreasonable to suggest that light therapy prevents or treats other conditions: specifically those caused or exacerbated by these circadian rhythm disturbances. We investigate this hypothesis in more detail in our pages devoted to light therapy and circadian rhythm disruptions.
⋙ Read about causes for Seasonal Affective Disorder
The author of these lines began using light therapy late, feeling during his second autumn far to the North – at a latitude of 62.24°N – that his nights were becoming disrupted again. Every day, 30 minutes of exposure at approximately 30 centimeters, during breakfast, 45 minutes after waking. Winter is wonderful.