How to Stay Active in Winter and Be Happy

How to stay active in winter and be happy. Spending the winter in Helsinki, Finland, can be an enjoyable experience for locals and foreigners alike. However, it can also be quite a challenge for some, especially when the temperature drops well below 0 — making it difficult to stay active and in a good mood.

So, if you are the type who likes wintertime but balks at dealing with frigid temperatures, i will recommend doing at least two or some of the activities below in other to stay in shape, active and happy through the winter.

How to stay active in winter and be happy

The following activities will not only help you maintain your winter activity levels and be happy during the long and cold winter months of Helsinkian winter. But will also help you integrate into the Finnish society.

Sign up for recreational activities

The cold winter months in Helsinki can provide you with the perfect opportunity to step out of your comfort zone. Because of the frigid temperatures outside, turning to indoor activities such as Yoga, Crossfit, Squash, Snooker or even Zumba can be a fantastic idea.

Just because jogging is no longer a viable option does not mean that you cannot maintain your physical condition or have to work out any less often.

You can engage in one or two recreational activities weekly to stay active and boost your overall wellbeing.

Go swimming

Finland has world-class infrastructures. There are many options that will allow you to balance your workout time and find the perfect way to achieve your goals in the city of Helsinki, even if the sun only comes out for a few hours every day.

One of the best ways to do so is to find a heated indoor pool and go for a swim or take part in some type of water sport.

You can engage in water exercises — which is highly recommended for pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with some type of injury that requires moderate impact activities. However, even if you are not a high-level athlete, you can still benefit from the soothing waters by which will help to increase your resistance, stamina, strength, and power.

Sauna

It is typical in Helsinki to find a sauna in public community centers with a swimming pool. One of the best ways to pastime in the winter is by having a sauna bath. Aside from the fact that it helps you stay warm and alive. There are also beneficial health effects of having regular dry sauna. See this study.

Trekking or hiking

Helsinki is a beautiful city in its own right, but the many acres of the natural landscape that surround it possess an unimaginable and striking beauty during the winter months. This makes the city the perfect spot for winter trekking and hiking.

These activities can provide the perfect opportunity to get in direct contact with nature. Moreover, the difficulty of the winter terrain means that the level of physicality required to navigate the forest trails increases, and with it, the health benefits you will reap.

The winter forests of Finland are dreamy landscapes full of snow and crystalline ice, and few places in the world can compare.

Plan activities with friends and family

Another way to stay active and happy in Helsinki during the winter is to plan activities with friends or family. For example, you can organize a paintball event, pickup basketball game, board games, etc. You can also host a movie night or dinner party or better still go to a restaurant or the cinema with your friends or family.

The whole idea is to talk to people, laugh and have fun while doing so.

Get creative

Exercise is not the only way to stay active and promote a healthier lifestyle during the long, dark winter months. You just need to get creative and find alternative ways to sweat and increase your heart rate.

For example, you can always rake leaves and perform grounds keeping tasks around your garden. You can also bundle up in some thick winter clothes and a long walk through the snow. I find it beautiful to walk in the snow, especially when the light from the moon hits the snow and illuminates the night.

Shoveling snow is another excellent activity that will get your heart pumping even in the coldest Helsinkian nights. You can always try skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, or making a snowman or angel with your kids.

Sunlight lamps

Some people experience mood changes during winter due to the lack of natural sunlight, technically called “seasonal depression”. See this article. If you fall into this category of people, then i will recommend getting a sunlight lamp or light therapy lamp — an artificial device that mimics sunlight.

It might or might not work for you, but it’s worth a try. Do your research before buying one, as there are different products out there.

Final words

Still wondering how to stay active in winter and be happy? I hope with the activities discussed above, you will stay active and happy during the cold and dark winter.

Just remember to wear appropriate clothing, take your vitamin D and stay hydrated preferably with a hot Finnish coffee or herbal tea.

Your negative thought about winter is what makes you depressed.