The darker months can take a toll on you. Energy dips. Motivation flatlines. Stress. But in the Nordic countries, they’ve perfected the art of winter and turned it into a wellness paradise. Finland has held the top spot in the World Happiness Report for 7 consecutive years. In Nordic life, a home sauna is not a luxury. Instead, it’s a weekly constant used to reset mood, lower stress, and restore balance after long, dark winters. This helps when the nervous system is under pressure from the cold, low light, and shorter days. The Finns have woven the sauna into their culture, where they’ve turned one of the world’s longest winters into the happiest place on earth. The outdoor sauna is a key factor in this, as it is shared by many of the other happiest countries, such as Iceland and Denmark. Here’s how they do it.