Embracing Hygge this Autumn

If you’ve never heard the term “hygge”, pronounced “hyoo-guh” before, you might be inclined to say “god bless you” after hearing someone say it. But what it actually is, is a Danish and Norwegian term for a mood of coziness and comfort, associated with warm feelings of wellness and contentment. And for when the temperature outside begins to drop and the days grow shorter and shorter, it can be just what the doctor ordered to promote good health and cheer for older adults spending the season indoors.

There’s no specifically right or wrong way to practice hygge in your home. Because it’s a term describing a feeling, it’s something that’s going to differ slightly from person to person. But no matter the fine details, it should all be focused on creating a home environment of warmth, comfort, safety and relaxation. Some ideas that most hygge enthusiasts tend to agree on include:

• Candles: With the sun dropping from the sky earlier and earlier as the fall season drags on, one way to combat the dark evening hours is with the warm and organic light of a candle. The flickering, yellow toned light of a small flame casts a comforting glow that makes the home feel more relaxed and inviting. For added effect, one can burn a scented candle to fill the home with comforting smells. Many different companies make fall-specific scent blends, filling the home with the scent of crisp apples or warm baked goods. For seniors with motor or sensory issues where an open flame is too much of a hazard, flameless candles that use LEDs to replicate a flame are available, along with products like wax melts or plug-in oil diffusers that can scent a room.
• Baking: Before modern heating, building a fire in the home oven was one of the most efficient ways to keep a home heated in colder temperatures. Not only did it warm the house, it also provided for sustenance. To harken back to those times, and also take advantage of autumn’s bounty, baking up a fresh apple or persimmon pie is a great idea.
• Coziness: Hygge would be nothing without cozy comfort. Soft, fluffy and fuzzy blankets and sweaters are pretty much the only universally agreed upon part of hygge. So get yourself a fuzzy pair of socks and wrap yourself up in a blanket while you relax on the couch and enjoy the comforts of home. You could even take it a step further and knit or crochet yourself or your loved ones something to keep comfortable. And if you don’t know how, there’s no time like the present to learn.
• Reading: You’ll need something to do while you’re engaging in all this restful comfort, so why not cozy up on the couch with a good book? Either revisit an old favorite, or find something new to dive into. For older adults with sensory issues, an audiobook would work just as well. And if reading isn’t your thing, thanks to modern entertainment streaming services, you could catch up on your favorite TV shows and movies instead.