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Hygge is the ultimate wellness word of the winter season. If you’re not familiar with it, “hygge” is a Danish word—pronounced “hoo-guh” or “hue-gah”—that essentially means a quality or feeling of coziness, comfort, contentment, and well-being.
In this article, learn more about what hygge is and how you can embrace these feelings of coziness to support your mental health and well-being.
According to Visit Denmark, the word hygge is derived from an Old Norse term roughly meaning “well-being” and has been used in Danish writing since the 18th century.
Hygge encourages feeling cozy, relaxed, safe, and comfortable and is used widely in Scandinavian countries (and has now made its way to the United States).
While hygge can mean something slightly different for everybody, the overarching tenet of hygge is celebrating slowness, relaxation, and life’s quieter pleasures—which is perfect to do during the cooler weather of winter when more time is spent indoors.
Some examples of hygge might include:
Essentially, hygge is all about creating environments that are peaceful and calming. If none of the above things sound comforting or inviting to you, take some time to consider what you would choose instead.
However, hygge isn’t only for the wintertime—you can practice hygge year-round!
Some examples of hygge in the summertime might include picnicking on a sunny day, going to the beach and watching the waves, enjoying the later sunsets with an outdoor dinner party, having a bonfire at the beach, watching the sunset with a cold drink, swimming in lakes, gardening, or stargazing on a warm, clear night.
Although “hygge” is distinctly Danish, many other cultures have similar hygge-like practices and rituals, such as:
Mysa in Sweden: Also similar to hygge, mysa roughly translates to “to cozy up” or “to make things cozy,” embodying comfort, warmth, and mindfulness.
If just reading the list of ways to practice hygge made you feel warm and fuzzy inside, then you can understand how hygge benefits mental health.
The main ways hygge helps with mental health and mood are by reducing stress and promoting relaxation—this makes sense as the whole goal of hygge is comfort, coziness, and well-being.
While everyone can benefit from hygge, it may be even more pronounced in people who are used to high-stress, go-go-go lifestyles—taking the time to get cozy and slow down can have profound effects on stress reduction.
Engaging in hygge rituals—like enjoying that perfect cup of coffee or cuddling up with a favorite novel—can trigger the release of feel-good hormones like serotonin and oxytocin.
If you practice hygge with others (you don’t have to, by the way!), you can bolster connections and relationships and reduce feelings of loneliness.
Some other ways that hygge might benefit mental health include:
Although there are not too many published studies on the topic, some research has looked into the benefits of hygge.
One small study from 2024 looked at how practicing hygge impacted the quality of life in people with cystic fibrosis, a genetic and progressive condition that causes respiratory issues, digestive problems, physical limitations, and often poor mental health.1
In this study, practicing hygge profoundly influenced the physical and emotional experience of 15 adults living with cystic fibrosis. The authors concluded that incorporating hygge practices into cystic fibrosis care plans could improve psychological well-being and quality of life.1
Another unique study looked at the impact of hygge on incarcerated women in Denmark.2
In this research, nine women in a Danish prison reported using food and various props to create feelings of hygge in their cells and common areas.
Hygge was said to have “a deeply positive impact on their lived experience of incarceration,” suggesting that even small hygge-like practices can benefit mental health in stressful and often unsafe environments. (It may be important to note that Danish prisons are night and day from most other prisons in the world, with a focus on humane conditions, dignity, private living spaces, comfortable facilities, wearing one’s own clothes, and generally treating inmates very well.)2
Although we’ve mentioned quite a few ideas for practicing hygge already, here are some specific ways you can embrace hygge and coziness this winter:
The psychology behind hygge is that certain rituals and activities can make us feel safer, more comfortable, more connected, and calmer. This Danish concept celebrates slowness, relaxation, and life’s simple pleasures, which fosters feelings of contentment, safety, and nurturing.
There are not necessarily ten “rules” of hygge, but some principles that were first shared in “The Little Book of Hygge” by Meik Wiking include:
– Atmosphere (cozy spaces)
– Presence (mindfulness and being in the present moment)
– Pleasure (simple joys)
– Equality (inclusivity)
– Togetherness (connecting with loved ones)
– Gratitude (appreciating the little—and big—things in life)
– Harmony (ego-free spaces)
– Truce (focusing on peace and calm; no drama)
– Comfort (relax and recharge)
– Shelter (create a safe space and sanctuary)
The Danish pronounce hygge more like “hue-gah,” with a stronger emphasis on the “hue” part.
Hygge is likely popular because people inherently want to feel safe, secure, calm, content, and relaxed. Our modern society is often high-stress, low-connection, and not very mindful. Embracing hygge rituals and activities can make us feel more grounded, relaxed, calm, peaceful, and connected to ourselves and others. Hygge provides a sense of both emotional and physical security and is often a refreshing alternative to our busy, distracted, and overwhelming lives.
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