Get cosy and embrace ‘Hygge’ this Winter!

Hygge, a Danish word meaning ‘a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that embodies a feeling of contentment or wellbeing’ – something we should all embrace in the current climate! Not only have temperatures started to plummet, but we are dealing with heightened levels of anxiety and stress while having to spend more time than ever inside our homes. It is more important than ever to look after our wellbeing and try our best to feel relaxed, so hygge proof your home this Winter with these top tips from our experts, and reap the rewards!

1. Enjoy the simple pleasures 

Simple pleasures are subjective to everyone of course, so take a minute to think about the small things that make you happy. This might be reading a few chapters of your favourite book, painting your nails, or indulging in one of your favourite foods – chocolate is a good place to start! Nutritionist Cassandra Barnes explains: “Go for quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solid, such as Ombar raw chocolate) as it contains the potential to relax you, intoxicate you and give you sheer pleasure. This is thanks to it providing us with tryptophan, a great relaxation chemical, helping quell any anxiety”. Try the newest edition to the Ombar family, Centres Hazelnut Truffle; a delicious creamy filling encased in 60% vegan chocolate. (£2.99 for 70g bar, Whole Foods). 

2. Be present and thankful 

Isabella Venour, Mindset Coach & NLP Practitioner (www.mind-style.com) says: “We spend the majority of our time thinking about moments we can no longer control (the past) or about experiences that haven’t happened yet and may never happen at all (the future)! While it’s important to learn from our past and keep an eye on our future, it’s only when we live in the present moment that we’re really experiencing life.

“To practice being present, I recommend these three simple steps:

• Take three deep breaths with equal counts in and out
• Notice how you’re feeling, what you can see, hear and smell
• Ask yourself what one thing are you grateful for today?”

3. Don’t stress

Granted, this is a lot easier said than done, especially in the current climate, but taking a few simple steps to help find your inner zen could be just what you need. Incorporating a high-quality CBD oil into your everyday life could help you to feel less stressed, Nutritionist Fiona Lawson comments: “The Cannabis sativa plant, from which CBD is extracted, has been used medicinally for thousands of years. In fact, records suggest that it was a valued pain reliever in ancient China. Today, modern science is uncovering how CBD can help to support the body. Although more research is needed, preliminary studies suggest that CBD can help to improve sleep, as well as reduce social anxiety. It may even help people to give up smoking”. Using a high-quality CBD oil such as CannabiGold Terpenes+ (£24.99 for 250mg, cannabigold.co.uk), will help to maximise these desirable outcomes. Nutritionist Alix Woods comments on the benefits of the added terpenes in the CannabiGold formula: “By adding terpenes to the CBD oil, the result is a more targeted and therapeutically beneficial cannabis formula which can help you  meet a need state like calm, relief, and bliss.”. Give it a try and see if it works for you!

4. Bring the outside inside

There may not be a lot of green outdoors through the Winter months, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting indoor plants to bring the feel of the outdoors into your house. The same also goes for wood accents such as wooden floors, furniture and even decorations; they all help us to feel closer to nature and evoke a sense of calm! 

5. Go crazy with candles!

It’s no secret that we all love a scented candle or two, but to maximise that hygge feeling in your home this Winter, the more candles the better! The glow of candles creates the perfect atmosphere, lifting spirits by casting a warm light on an otherwise dull Winter evenings. There is nothing more enticing than a room lit by candlelight!