Tips on surviving a Finnish winter

You have probably heard many of the stereotypes about Scandinavia and Finland in the winter time.  "It is icy, cold, freezing, snowy and unbearable, etc."  However, when it comes down to it, the main issue in my opinion is not the chilly weather, but the darkness.  One can always prepare for colder weather by wearing more layers, scarves, hats, and warm jackets, however battling short, dark days is an entirely different story.   When winter kicks off in late December in Southern Finland, the sunrise is about 9:30am and sunset is 3:00pm. There actually is a medical term called SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder.  From Wiki : "Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression, winter blues, summer depression, summer blues, or seasonal depression, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer,^[1] spring or autumn year after year. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-IV), SAD is not a unique mood disorder, but is a specifier of major depression"  While this can be an issue, there are definitely many ways to combat it.  With a strong demeanor and open mind, you can make it through those dark days of winter in Finland.


Here are 5 tips that might help


1. Exercise - Finns are crazy about their sports and it seems even more so in the winter than the summer.  I have noticed many large sporting halls that feature plenty of fun activities.  The more popular indoor sports in Finland include, badminton, swimming, squash, tennis, and salibandy (floor hockey).  I also notice that many people are out skating on the numerous ice rinks around town. People are also out Nordic walking (walking with ski poles) and of course the very popular cross-country skiing.  Just because it is cold and snowy outside doesn't mean Finns store their bikes for the winter.  They just throw on spiked tires and go about their daily routines on two wheels.  So, keep active and you will feel invigorated and energetic even during the darkest of days.


2. Stay social - Just because it is -10 Celsius outside and dark, doesn't mean you should burrow and hibernate for the winter.  It is important to get out and keep active in your social groups and clubs.


3. Enjoy the outdoors - The days may be shorter, but that doesn't mean you cannot get out and enjoy them. Take a walk in the nature, run or cross-country ski.  Breathe in the fresh Arctic air.


4. Shift your schedule - During the winter, try to shift your schedule to doing your work earlier and perhaps later in the day.  Take a few hours in the middle of the day when it is lightest to do your chores, personal stuff, exercise, etc.  


5. Indoor sunlamp therapy- This might sound silly, but it actually works.   In Finland they sell these special sun lamps which are like a giant light bulb that simulates the sunlight in your room.  You can adjust the light to your needs and monitor how long they are one, etc.  Instant sun energy is coming your way.  :)

Sun lamp for light therapy

Cross-country versus downhill skiing

Took entire family out for cross-country skiing this past weekend in Espoo.  We ventured down to the only currently open cross-country ski track which is located near Lake Bodom in Espoo.  The place was absolutely packed with various skiers and families just out to frolic in the snow and sled down the hills.   Even though we are all still just getting our feet wet, we had a great time and look forward to many more outdoor adventures on skis.  Being a California native, I am really only used to downhill skiing and let me tell you, cross-country and downhill skiing are worlds apart.  They each have their pros and cons, but I would have to say that for all around nature and exercise, cross-country skiing is the king.   With downhill skiing you wear a very heavy and tightly locked ski boot and it clicks into your binding, but can easily pop out if necessary for safety.  Also, downhill skis are much wider than the cross country version.  Cross-country uses smaller boots which are essentially as comfortable as hiking shoes, but they also have a small metal bar in the front which locks into your ski.  The downside is that cross country boots do not release when you fall, they need to be clicked out by pushing a button on the binding.

Which one is better to actually do?  This is all a matter of personal preference of course.  But if you are an endurance sports nut like myself (swimming, triathlon, running, hiking), then cross country would be your preference.   Don't get me wrong downhill skiing is very fun, but it is mainly about getting to the top of the hill and flying down as fast as you can.  It can be quite exhilarating and thrilling when you are flying down the hill at breakneck speeds, but there is always that fear factor of crashing which happens to the best of us.  Falling down a hill at extreme speeds is no laughing matter.  With cross country skiing, it can be more of an escape to the nature, like hiking with skis on. Cross-country skiing is typically done in little tracks that are made in the snow, but you could also just ski over the smooth snow.  With cross country skiing you essentially shuffle your legs and arms simultaneously back and forth over the flat surface to move forward and you "walk" up steep hills with the skis in a V position.  Screw the chairlifts, time to walk up those hills, baby!  If you have never tried cross-country, it is one hell of a workout.  I honestly cannot think of a better way to get in all around shape than spending a few hours a week on cross-country skis.  You are getting a leg, arm and even stomach workouts all in one. Technically there are 2 distinct types of cross-country skiing now, the classic type (shuffle motion) and the skating (like ice skating on skis) type of skis.  I wanted to do both, but then I found that one needs to purchase additional equipment (boots, bindings, skis) for each one.  Ouch!  One equipment investment at a time I guess.  What's nice is that after the initial equipment investment, you never need to pay to use the many parks that offer cross-country ski tracks in Finland.

When you live in a Nordic country like Finland, there are many places to cross-country ski, assuming the snowfall has been good.  We supposedly have over 30 areas in our city of Espoo alone for skiing.  It is great to see so many Finns out and about enjoying the nature and getting their exercise via cross-country skiing.  It must be in their blood, as I even noticed that they are encouraging skiing during recess at my 5 year old son's school. So grab your skis and go out and enjoy the nature.