Simple ways Swedes stay healthy everyday.

Ever wonder why Swedes – and Scandinavians in general – are so fit? Just look around and you’ll see tall, blonde, model-esque people all over the place. And while genetics must play a large role, there are a few key things most Swedes do to maintain their everyday fitness.

5 ways Swedes prioritize health

Hot and Cold Therapy

A good amount of research has been done to show the benefits of hot and cold exposure therapy. It can help relaxation, circulation, pain relief, and more. Hot and cold exposure work as a form of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) and are great ways to increase metabolic rate and burn calories without movement. In Sweden, we have saunas and cold plunges to most readily facilitate hot and cold therapy, respectively.

Many gyms offer saunas and Swedes love to take the time to recover after a workout with a quick sauna session. Most of the nicer hotels in Sweden also have a sauna in their fitness area, which is really lovely before bed. Swedes also love to plan a sauna activity with friends. They will go together to a sauna, bathhouse, or spa, and spend multiple hours relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. To be able to stay in the sauna longer, Swedes will take quick breaks from the heat with cold exposure. This can be a quick burst of cold water in the shower next to the sauna, a brisk run out to the ocean nearby, or a roll in the snow!

But Swedes also enjoy cold plunges as a stand alone activity. In the heart of winter, it is common to see Swedes carving out a person-sized hole in frozen lakes, canals, or ocean shoreline and prepping for a quick dip. With only a bathing suit, gloves, and a beanie on, the Sweden will use a ladder to descend into the freezing water and stay for 10 seconds to two minutes.

Eat Seasonally

Food in the Nordics has gone through a true ✨glow up✨ in the last decade, thanks mostly to Claus Meyer, René Redzepi, and restautants like Noma that have put the Nordics on the map. Meyer and Redzepi’s The Nordic Kitchen Manifesto set 10 principles on purity, seasonality, ethics, health, sustainability, and quality. The second aim of The Nordic Kitchen Manifesto is “To reflect the changes of the seasons in the meal we make.” 

I love the focus on seasonality I see at restaurants here and the ability I have to buy seasonally, too. Local farmers’ markets are abundant in the Spring and Summer, and apple picking is a popular pastime in the Fall.

Embrace Everyday Movement

When you live in the city center as I do, there is no need to drive a car to get around. Instead, I walk or bike everywhere I need to go. Just running an errand, like picking up a book at my local library, can easily result in an hour of walking.

I really enjoy doubling up my exercise with running errands or commuting home from work (I’m a 20 minute walk from the office). It feels efficient and has really changed my perception of exercise – which in the US was always gym-based, but now feels more like a part of my everyday life.

Want to know more about cycling? Read my full post here.

Take the Stairs

Many older apartments in Sweden don’t have an elevator. And while mine does, I still push myself to take the stairs. Believe me, four flights of stairs each day (up and down!) can really add up and is a great way to maintain everyday fitness. Add in some cat litter or groceries and you have a great spontaneous workout!

Save Candy for Saturdays

Sweden is all about lagom, not too much nor too little. And lagom definitely extends to food. Swedes enjoy eating in moderation and that definitely extends to candy! In Sweden, all children know that candy is only allowed on Saturdays.

Want to know all about lördagsgodis? Read my full post here.

Curious to know about other healthy habits Swedes have? From managing stress to taking vacation, I have a deep-dive here.

• Wellness allowance (friskvårdsbidrag) and wellness hours are popular benefits offered by many Swedish employers! You can read more about it here.
• Many parks in Sweden have an outdoor gym (utegym).
• According to the National Institute of Health, “Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to that portion of daily energy expenditure resulting from spontaneous physical activity that is not specially the result of voluntary exercise. Levels of NEAT ranges widely, with variance of up to 2000 kilocalories per day between two individuals of similar size.”
• In Denmark, candy day is Friday (Fredagsslik), not Saturday!

• Dressing for your body type can do so much to enhance your body in a way that you find flattering. Read all about my favorite Swedish designers here and here.
• When having a longer sauna session with friends, Swedes will often bring a beer along! One of my favorite tricks is to mix a little beer in with some water and then ladle that over the hot coals of the sauna’s heater. It smells just like freshly baked bread (nybakat bröd).
• My favorite Swedish swimwear (for a cold dip or sauna session) is Scampi.

• Hot and cold: the health benefits of ice baths and saunas
• Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)