Hej allihopa! 🙂

Did you know that the 21st of December is the shortest day in Sweden? In fact, the daylight length during the winter solstice is over 12h shorter in comparison to the June solstice! It is insane how much it changes… Although we’re over a month away from the 21st of December, it is getting darker and darker with every day (especially, after daylight saving time ended on the 30th of October). Sweden isn’t that much north of my country of origin so I was somewhat used to it and didn’t expect much difference as days in Poland during winter months are only around one hour longer than in Sweden. However, there is a difference. I don’t know… maybe it’s a general atmosphere or this one hour makes this dissimilarity? Either way, for me darkness in Sweden is a bit harder to deal with than in Poland but maybe not as tough as for people coming from more southern countries. But not everything is bad about it! Let’s see what is the good, the bad and the ugly about the darkness in Sweden.

THE GOOD

Aurora Borealis

Who doesn’t want to see coloured streaks dancing on the sky high above? Aurora Borealis or more commonly known as the Northern Lights is a magical natural phenomenon that you can see for example, in northern Scandinavia. I saw exactly what the picture above shows myself and I can truly recommend this to you. Even though the pictures show its beauty, seeing it, in reality, is just a different experience. Northern Lights are just breath-taking and I can’t describe it any better 😀 In short, what causes Northern Lights is the charged particles colliding with certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere. But what you also need to clearly see them is the pitch-dark sky. And when is the best visibility for them other than long dark nights? Perhaps the long darkness is worth the unique and stunning Northern Lights…

Cosy vibes

During this rather nostalgic and dark season, it is good to search for something bright. What would bring more brightness to your interior than fairy lights and candles? You can find a multitude of lights in various shapes and colours as well as numerous fascinating scents of candles in many shops. If you add that together with a tidy room, a companionship of your friends and good music or a movie, it creates an idyllic picture. You could also try one of the Swedish traditions – sauna – where you sit in a wooden room with a fireplace and relax. Well… you do it until you sufficiently swelter. Then, you run outside and jump into the cold water or snow 😀 However, it is not only about your room or the things you do. Already in October, you can spot trees and buildings decorated with lights which creates a nice atmosphere outside.

THE BAD

Social interactions

A hot cup of tea, a fluffy blanket and a book – perhaps some people like it but some not so much. As I mentioned cosy vibes, it may be effortless for you to stay at home all week long in your comfortable and warm room. Maybe this idea is good for two weeks to recharge yourself but how about a month or 4 months? Well… here things get a little bit tricky. The fact is that people are social animals however, everybody has different needs for social interactions. While some need very little, some people constantly need the presence of others. It’s easy for those in need of social interactions – make sure you meet with your friends even though it is dark and cold outside. For all those who think that they can survive winter without going out of their house – make sure you meet with your friends even though it is dark and cold outside 😀 As I mentioned, after all, we need at least a little bit of others’ companionship so don’t lock yourself up. And this is attested by my own experience as an introvert! 😉

Low visibility

It may happen that you will travel to and from the university in darkness. Hence, you need to properly prepare yourself. Biking/walking paths usually have good lighting but some areas not so much. Lights for your bike and high-visibility clothing such as a jacket with reflective stripes or a fluorescent vest are crucial. Remember, it is very important that you make yourself visible to other participants in traffic – for your own safety!

THE UGLY

Social Affective Disorder

I wouldn’t be a real biomedicine student if I didn’t bring biology at some point! But it will be just a little, I promise! If you’re feeling a bit more of the blues than usual during the winter, if you’re lacking the motivation to get stuff done when it’s a bit dark – you are not alone! Many people experience it and in some cases, it could be an onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is pretty common in the northern regions due to changes in season. SAD is a depressive disorder that’s related to seasonal rotation. Most likely, your symptoms start during the fall and continue into the winter and darker months of the year. Symptoms include fatigue, increased desire to sleep, reduced motivation, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts or behaviour. One of the main causes of SAD is lack of sunlight which disrupts your circadian rhythm, dropping the baseline levels of serotonin – a hormone involved in mood modulation. 

What’s the solution?

  • Once waking up, turn on the lights in your surroundings.
  • Before going to sleep, reduce the exposure to screen lights that might disrupt your sleeping cycle.
  • Take daily walks outside, preferably in nature, studies show an increased serotonin level when walking in nature. 
  • Stock up on vitamin D supplements ← this is the last but super important!

In summary, the darkness is inevitably connected to winter and since I generally like winter as a season, I got used to it and I enjoy it. If you’re thinking about Sweden as your destination be aware that you cannot expect much sunlight between November – March. Once you’re ready for that, I’m pretty sure you will find ways to deal with it –  most international students manage it in different ways. It is not an easy time for Swedes too. So, remember you won’t be/aren’t alone 🙂

/Alexandra, Experimental and Medical Biosciences

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why don’t continue the conversation with us?

Start with checking out:

Our programmes, the application process, webinars, and our Instagram and Facebook account.

Still left wanting more?Book an appointment with our recruitment coordinator at infocenter@liu.se.

Pin
Comments are disabled for this post