Issue link: https://nest.uberflip.com/i/1314958
The idea behind friluftsliv or friluftsliving is to be out in the fresh air to commune with nature, even when the weather's not great. The expression literally translates as "open-air living" and was popularised in the 1850s by the Norwegian playwright and poet, Henrik Ibsen, who used the term to describe the value of spending time in remote locations for spiritual and physical wellbeing. It's probably a good concept for everyone to embrace right now, as the days grow colder and shorter but our activity options stay the same. Spending a couple of hours outdoors per week has been shown to improve stress levels and give your physical and mental health a boost (who doesn't need to improve their stress levels and health?), and if you're deciding between taking a walk or adding another hour to your daily screen time, the outdoors walk—even if the weather isn't ideal—is probably the better choice for your mental health. There's a saying in Sweden 'there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes'. In Sweden alone, a country of 10 million people, there are 25 non-profit associations anchored to friluftsliv, with 1.7 million memberships spread across 9,000 local and regional clubs. Research for Statistics Sweden, the government's number- crunching agency, suggests that around a third of Swedes engage in outdoor activities at least once a week. Many Scandinavian employers also incentivize staff to spend time outside during their working hours. The shiny active wear sported by pharmaceutical workers hint these are people who schedule exercise without any help from their bosses. But their club is able to meet every week thanks to a company policy that blocks 90 minutes out of employees' calendars every Wednesday. No-one is forced to exercise, but a majority of staff choose to, with many making a beeline for the surrounding woodland. friluftsliv literally means " free air life " """ TherE's a saying in Sweden there's no such thing as bad weather only bad clothes""