Nature Does More for Your Well-Being Than You Think

Whenever she finds some free time, my wife sits down to plan our next ‘hytte’ trip in Norway.

Yes, ‘hytte’ is the Norwegian word for ‘cabin’ in English.

We love taking these trips whenever we can. We usually invite friends to join us, but sometimes we simply enjoy going only ourselves.

A ‘hytte’ is a cosy wooden house built close to nature. There are fjellhytter or sjøhytter. Fjellhytter are located in the mountains, while sjøhytter are situated beside the sea or fjord.

Cabin culture is deeply rooted in Norwegian society and perhaps throughout Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.

Norway has a population of about 5.5 million and has around 452,000 private cabins and leisure homes, known as hytter. This means roughly one cabin for every 12 people, which makes it one of the highest per-capita cabin ownership rates in the world.

About 97.5 % of these holiday homes are owned by Norwegians themselves. Many are shared or made available to friends, making the hytte an important part of Norwegian family and social life.

Some workplaces and organizations also own their private cabins, which employees can rent for holidays, retreats, and other activities. This allows those who do not own a ‘hytte’ to enjoy a ‘hytte’ trip.

I often really enjoy hytte trips because they provide a real escape from the demands of everyday life and offer a refreshing break from our hectic routines.

Furthermore, they allow us to immerse ourselves in a completely different environment. Whenever I am at a hytte, I usually sleep deeply and wake up feeling fully refreshed.

I still don’t know why.

One of the main reasons may be that I feel relieved from the stress of daily life.

At home, there always seems to be another household task waiting to be done. But at the hytte, those responsibilities fade into the background, allowing me to truly relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

On top of that, we often carry the burdens of work, financial concerns, and countless other responsibilities.

At hytte, those worries seem to fade away by reconnecting with nature.

For many Norwegians, and Scandinavians in general, happiness is found in simple experiences in outdoor activities;

Spending time at a cabin.

A day on the ski trails.

Watching and listening to the snow fall.

A quiet walk through the forest.

Hiking in the mountains.

If we look at global happiness rankings, Scandinavian countries, including Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, have consistently ranked among the happiest countries in the world for many years.

Why is this so?

One possible reason for this is the close connection people have with nature and outdoor activities. Many Scandinavians have developed a lifestyle in which spending time outdoors is a natural part of life regardless of the weather.

In the whole region, there is a popular saying,

‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes’.

Scandinavians have a concept called ‘friluftsliv’ (free-loofts-liv), meaning “open-air living”.

The concept was popularised in the 1850s when Norwegian playwright and poet Henrik Ibsen used the term to describe the value of spending time in nature and remote places for spiritual and physical well-being.

Even today, across Scandinavia, stepping outside to enjoy the greenery, water and forests is an important part of everyday life.

This close connection with nature can contribute to mental well-being and physical health.

Some companies in Scandinavia encourage employees to hold meetings outdoors, sometimes at a nearby pond. They plan to do this more regularly when the warmer weather returns.

Stepping outside the office can immediately provide a fresh perspective and a different way of thinking.

Furthermore, some firms in Sweden and Finland have begun to subsidise employees’ outdoor sports activities or equipment.

Some Finnish companies are also beginning to reimburse employees for expenses related to cycling or walking to work.

This shows that Scandinavia’s obsession with friluftsliv is as deep-rooted as a Nordic forest.

The health benefits of friluftsliv are not simply a matter of belief; they are also supported by scientific evidence.

Kathy Willis, professor of biodiversity in the department of biology at the University of Oxford, explains how our interactions with plants and the natural world can enhance our well-being here.

According to her, even simple acts such as touching, looking at or smelling plants can have measurable positive effects on our well-being.

Cathy further explains that spending time in nature can enrich the gut microbiome by increasing the diversity of beneficial bacteria. According to her, only 7% of our gut microbiome is inherited, while the remaining 93% is shaped by our environment.

Our gut microbiome plays a vital role in our overall health, including immune function, metabolism and even mental well-being.

It has been hypothesized that exposure to a bacterium named Mycobacterium vaccae, commonly found in the soil of forested and mountainous environments, could reduce the risk of serious depression, suicidal thoughts and chronic immune dysfunction.

For this reason, it is often recommended to work in the garden without gloves, so that we can come into direct contact with the soil and its beneficial bacteria.

Dr Ming Kuo, an internationally recognised scientist who studies the effects of urban forests on human health, and her student Dr Andrea Taylor have brought an interesting insight to the world through their research work:

Exposure to healthy urban ecosystems can contribute to stronger and safer communities, lower crime rates, reduced aggression, and a range of other indicators of mental well-being.

Children who lack sufficient exposure to nature at an early age fail to develop proper immune functions to protect them as they get older. Therefore, our cities should prioritise sufficient parks and trees.

Recent research from Japan and China has revealed remarkable health benefits associated with forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku). Studies have found that walking in forests can increase the release of protective physiological factors in the body.

It may also increase hormones and molecules associated with protection against heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Studies have also shown that just three days and two nights in a wooded setting increase human responses such as greater relaxation, restored attention, and boosted vitality.

In addition, enhanced immunity, including reduced cardiovascular disease, fewer migraines, and lower anxiety, was experienced as a health outcome.

Kathleen Wolf of the University of Washington College of the Environment says that we do not necessarily need pristine or untouched nature to experience its benefits. Even ornamental, designed or engineered green spaces have positive effects on our well-being.

Let’s get outside!

Further reading:

1. Tjelta, Trond (2024): Friluftsliv: The Norwegian art of outdoor life. Hellyhansen.com

2. Li, Quing et. al. (2022): Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on serotonin in serum, depressive symptoms and subjective sleep quality in middle-aged males. Environ Health Prev Med. doi: 10.1265/ehpm.22–00136.

3. Lawton, Rebecca (2022): The healing power of nature. Aeon.co

4. Savage, Maddy (2017): Friluftsliv: The Nordic concept of getting outdoors. BBC

5. Mao G. et. al. (2012): Therapeutic effect of forest bathing on human hypertension in the elderly. Journal of Cardiology, 2012; 60, 495–502.

(This story was originally published in ‘The Environment’ on Medium)