Why living like a Dane could transform your life for the better

Want to know the secret to happiness? Ask a Dane. The country is regularly ranked as one of the happiest in the world. One study even found that the closer a country is in distance to Denmark, the happier its people are likely to be! So are Danes just born happy, or do they know something we don’t?

If the key to happiness lies in social equality and a community spirit then the Danes certainly have a head start. Denmark is known for being one of the most egalitarian countries in the world and its high levels of wellbeing are often attributed to its welfare system, where higher taxes provide free healthcare, school and university education, and government spending on children and the elderly is higher per capita than any other country in the world. It is thought that this provides a sense of security that takes away some of the worries people might otherwise have.

But the Danes have some other secrets to living a happy life too — and there are a few lessons we can learn from them.

Prioritise a work-life balance

According to an OECD Better Life report, the Danes have better work-life balance than anywhere else in the world, with only 2 per cent regularly working long hours (compared to an average figure of 13 per cent for other countries). All employees are entitled to a minimum of five weeks paid holiday a year, and when Danes are at work, they often have flexible working environments. No wonder studies say the Danes are among the happiest — and most productive — workforce in the world. You won’t find many Danes working past 5pm. Instead, they’re meeting friends in cafes, going for a walk in the park and cooking dinner with their families. Living, basically.

Appreciate the little things

The Danes are masters at stripping things back and focusing on what makes them happy without feeling guilty about it — whether that’s snuggling down to watch a movie with the family or having a delicious cinnamon bun.  Part of this is down to hygge, the Danish concept which is even harder to define than it is to pronounce, but which involves creating a warm and contented atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with people you love. Hygge is about everyday happiness. It’s slowing down, being in the present moment and celebrating the simple pleasures in life. It’s the antidote to our modern lives and all the pressures that come with them. The fact that is such an important part of Danish culture is probably one reason they’re so happy.

Spending time with loved ones

Spending quality time with the people we love is one of the easiest routes to happiness — yet many of us let things like work, or spending time online, get in the way. Not the Danes. In his book, The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking notes that 78 per cent of Danes socialise with friends, family or colleagues a minimum of once a week, compared to the European average of 60 per cent.

“Danes are really good at making time for friends and family, with regular meals or time scheduled in together,” says Helen Russell, author of novel Gone Viking (Ebury), who moved from the UK to Denmark five years ago. “We all know how much better we feel when we’ve spent quality time with our people – and this is a key part of getting hygge.” It all stems back to the days when gathering food and wood were a crucial part of surviving the Danish winter. “You had to help out neighbours, your family and friends to survive. Now, there’s central heating and supermarkets and offices to go to, but there’s still a cultural emphasis on being together,” she adds.

Trusting one another

Denmark has been shown to be one of the most trusting nations in Europe. “One of the main reasons Danes are often considered the happiest people in the world is trust – 79 per cent of Danes trust “most people” — and if you trust your neighbours (and your neighbour’s neighbours) you’re less anxious and have the headspace to be happy,” says author Helen Russell. “You feel better and you save yourself unnecessary stress – plus trusting the people around you can make them behave better so this trust becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Of course, there is one more way to channel some of that famous Danish happiness too — visit Denmark and hope some of the conviviality rubs off on you.

The Danish way

Hygge is more than a passing fancy for Danes, it's a philosophy that forms a key part of their endless success in the world happiness charts - and it could be your antidote to the stress of modern life.

A city break to Copenhagen will do more that satiate your wanderlust, it'll satisfy your most fundamental desire - to feel good.

SAS takes you from London Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Aberdeen and Edinburgh directly to Copenhagen.

Discover the airline that believes hygge starts in the sky, visit flysas.com