‘Do we need a ‘Hygge’? — Managing our psychological well-being in the cold weather …’
20.01.2023: As I write this week’s PIE blog in my role as lead for Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE), at the national youth homeless charity; Centrepoint, I am desperately trying to warm up after a very cold walk with the dog this morning that looks set to continue for the next week at least (c.f. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64281258). Whilst the frosted ground or snow in some parts of the UK may look very beautiful, this freezing walk made me reflect on the challenges of keeping warm if you are rough sleeping or homeless at this time of the year. Or event if you are in secure accommodation but are struggling to heat it because of increased utility costs or poor insulation and property maintenance. With regard to the specific issue of youth homelessness in winter, there is excellent advice here: https://twitter.com/centrepointuk/status/1615401062579437587 should we encounter any young people sleeping on the streets at this time of year. For example, how we can help by contacting ‘Streetlink’ (via www.streetlink.org.uk or 0300 500 0914) or our own Centrepoint Helpline (via 0808 800 0661), and/or the emergency services. We can also stop and talk to them, asking if they need anything such as a hot drink or something warm to eat?
Although local authorities across the UK should now be activating their SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) so that no-one whatever age is sleeping on the streets in these freezing temperatures, we do know at Centrepoint (via our Helpline) that local responses can be highly variable and some homeless young people still fall through this ‘safety net’. For more information about what we can do to help homeless young people in winter, please see Centrepoint’s recent blog post on this subject here: https://centrepoint.org.uk/about-us/blog/being-homeless-in-winter/. However, back to PIE — what are the physical and psychological effects of this cold weather and how can we take a psychologically informed approach to managing them in both the homeless young people we may be supporting in Centrepoint as well as ourselves?
Of course, first and foremost, extremely cold temperatures can have a significant impact on our physical health. Which is why those individuals sleeping rough or homeless are particularly vulnerable if they are exposed to the elements for prolonged periods. For example, physical conditions such as hypothermia and even frostbite are significantly dangerous and risk threatening life especially if not recognised and treated quickly enough (a challenge when many rough sleepers avoid public areas for safety or are ‘unseen’ by those around them). However, the cold weather does not just induce potentially life threatening physical health issues, but it can also exacerbate pre-existing problems. As Dumoulin (2022; Head of Rough Sleeping Services, DePaul UK) notes, “The wear and tear of sleeping outside in the cold really affects people’s physical health. It can directly cause extremely painful chronic foot and back problems; health issues get worse and worse. Sometimes people sleeping rough start using drugs or alcohol just to help them sleep”. Moreover, when you are homeless or in temporary accommodation, access to medical care is also an issue. It can be much harder to access the physical care you need via a GP or other statutory health provider, meaning that perhaps relatively minor health problems that exacerbated by the cold weather risk being left untreated and creating further problems in the future.
However, psychological research studies also highlight that extreme weather can also have a negative impact on our mental health and well-being not just our physical health. When it is very cold, we are understandably more likely to stay inside, and therefore may detach from our normal activities or decline social engagements. This is in some ways like a ‘hibernation mode’, which is not surprising as many other animals in colder climates do actually hibernate in the winter months! However, this can influence our mood as we become more socially isolated and our daily routines may be changed. We can be less motivated to go out and do things or see people; sometimes these being the very activities that help us to keep a positive mind set. This can thereby create a ‘vicious cycle’ of avoidance and low mood, which if not identified and addressed can lead to later mental health issues.
Moreover, winter months have shorter days and therefore we have less exposure to sunshine resulting in our bodies producing less serotonin (the ‘happiness’ neurochemical) and more melatonin (the ‘sleepiness’ neurochemical). This can lead to the ‘winter blues’, which in some individuals can be extreme; known as ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ or SAD, a form of depression that worsens in the winter months as a result of a lack of sunlight and Vitamin D (c.f. Atkinson, 2019). Some psychological studies have even found that feeling ‘cold’ can impact on our relationships with others as our cognitive processing abilities are effected and we can feel more psychologically distant (Ljzerman et al, 2014).
Of course, we cannot change the weather! Short of moving permanently to a warmer climate — which whilst most of us might regularly consider in the winter is not often an option for us! Therefore, how can we cope with any effects upon our psychological well-being during this cold winter weather? I would argue that the first thing to highlight is that it is actually important to be aware of how colder weather can affect us as well as those around us. Of course, some people really do like cold weather so we cannot assume everyone is the same. Nevertheless, being aware of the impact of cold weather on our mood helps us normalise any distress we might be feeling, and reduce the impact. Recognition also enables us to move towards considering how we might manage this, rather than just ignoring the issue.
Most importantly, this awareness means that we can be proactive in checking in with the homeless young people we support, our colleagues, and our friends and family or neighbours. Is someone close to us struggling at the moment with this cold weather? Perhaps this is a result of not being able to heat their home properly due to the rising costs of gas and electricity. Consequently, are they accessing all the UK government support (e.g. Warm Home Discount / Cost of Living Payments etc.) that they are entitled to receive? Perhaps they are not able to afford to buy or cook warm food to eat. Therefore, do they need support to access charities or food banks? Perhaps they lack the right clothes or footwear for this time of year. Can we do anything to assist them with this via donations or charity shops? Without these basic human needs of shelter, food and warmth being adequately met they might be at increased risk of a subsequent impact on their physical and psychological health.
Moreover, how can we manage our mood and psychological well-being in winter? When researching and reflecting on the issues for this blog, I came across an interesting article about the ‘happiest’ nations in the world (c.f. https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2020/the-nordic-exceptionalism-what-explains-why-the-nordic-countries-are-constantly-among-the-happiest-in-the-world/), which highlighted that Scandinavian counties were often ranked the highest. These counties, due to their geographical position, face longer, darker and colder winters than much of the rest of the world. However, culturally they apparently have a different psychological mind-set to the season of winter: accepting and embracing this period as a time to ‘recharge’ and ‘reconnect’ rather than viewing it as anything negative. There is more acceptance of the importance of ‘hibernation’ around this period, and the importance of self-care, even having a specific term — ‘Hygge’; pronounced ‘hyoo-guh’.
Although ‘Hygge’ can mean a broad range of different things in practice, the essence is “a quality of cosiness that makes a person feel content and comfortable”. It means doing something or creating time to ‘hunker down’ to nurture your relationships and well-being with rest and self-care, being grateful for this winter period of rejuvenation before the more active summer and the increased daylight returns. To put this another way, in this cold weather do we or someone we know need some ‘Hygge’ right now? What could we do to feel more ‘Hygge’? What would your ‘Hygge’ look like? When I was thinking about what my ‘Hygge’ would involve when writing this blog, I immediately imagined drinking a large hot chocolate drink sitting on the sofa in front of an open fire watching a movie with my closest family and my dog curled up next to me. I have now planned just that activity for this weekend because I know this will improve my psychological well-being and give me something to look forward to when I am travelling out and about in the cold weather this week!
As an aside, reflecting further on what learning we can take from our Scandinavian friends, it’s not just about ‘Hygge’ but because they have such cold winters that can be life threatening if you are homeless, they have also developed a radical and successful psychologically informed solution to homelessness: ‘Housing First’ (c.f. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/03/its-a-miracle-helsinkis-radical-solution-to-homelessness). Housing First is fundamentally a very PIE approach, as its success is in not just reducing homelessness but bringing about lasting positive change for often very entrenched homeless populations through the power of ‘relationships’. The importance of relationship building coupled with a non-contingent housing offer was evidenced in an evaluation of Centrepoint’s first Housing First service in Haringey, East London back in 2021 (see here for the report from the University of York: https://centrepoint.org.uk/media/5040/evaluation-of-haringey-housing-first-for-care-leavers-final-report-nov-2021.pdf). This noted that one of the successes of this project was the “needs-led, relational approach and dedicated staff in engaging and supporting complex and vulnerable young people” (p.7). As a result, Centrepoint has just recently opened its second ‘Housing First’ service in Lambeth, South London, which started supporting vulnerable homeless young people to maintain successful tenancies last year.
Returning to a psychologically informed approach to managing the ongoing cold weather and the winter season, psychologists know that how we think, effects our feelings and subsequently our behaviour (e.g. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; Beck, 1979). Therefore, if we try to think about winter in a similar manner to our Scandinavian neighbours (and create some time for a ‘Hygge’), perhaps we will feel better about these coming weeks and colder temperatures. Accepting that we might do a bit less at this time of year, and that what is more important than ever is to continue to connect with others (albeit perhaps inside rather than outside!), will help us to manage our mood. It is also important that we maintain a healthy diet, and exercise when we can in the daytime, as whatever time of year it is, this will improve our psychological well-being. In addition, adding into our diet supplements such as Vitamin D can be useful, and of course, if it does feel too overwhelming at this time of year, then reaching out for professional help or mental health support should always be considered. If you are a staff member in Centrepoint, then please do contact the PIE team for support and/or signposting to other options or if you are concerned about a young person you are supporting, then please do reach out to our Centrepoint Health Team.
Finally, keeping our focus on the things we do have control over, as opposed to what we do not (i.e. the weather!), will also be helpful. The weather will eventually change, spring and warmer weather are on their way, and we can get through this cold period. I only noticed this week in my back garden that some early bulbs are starting to appear and this reminded me that before we know it, spring will arrive and our natural tendency to want to hibernate will pass. Therefore, if we look after ourselves (and each other) over the next few colder weeks, then we will be ready to face the warmer months coming our way with renewed energy and motivation, and a greater sense of psychological well-being…
