Expert offers tips for enduring winter darkness

Sweden's winter darkness challenges many with short days and long nights. Sleep expert Maria Nordin stresses the importance of accepting tiredness and being your own light. She shares advice in an article and a chat with readers.

Sweden's winter half-year often means darkness both on the way to and from work, posing a challenge for many. According to sleep expert Maria Nordin, who is also a psychology researcher at Umeå University, it is important to allow yourself to be tired as days shorten. 'You have to be your own light in the darkness', she says in an article published by Dagens Nyheter on December 11, 2025.

In a separate chat with DN readers, Nordin discusses how to maintain the spark of life during winter darkness and what one can do to endure it. Questions address challenges with seasonal tiredness and lack of daylight. The article and chat focus on practical advice for managing the Swedish winter's impact on well-being, without specifying exact methods beyond accepting the body's signals.

These contributions from Nordin provide a perspective on navigating the psychological effects of winter darkness, based on her expertise in sleep and psychology.

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Snowy Swedish winter scene with dark clouds parting for emerging winter solstice sunshine over forests and village.
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Sweden's dark December: Sunshine forecast after record-low start

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Following an exceptionally sun-poor start to December 2025—previously reported as less than five hours of sun in many areas up to mid-month—this year ranks among Sweden's darkest in 15 years. Relief is coming: sunny weather is expected across much of the country by the weekend, coinciding with the winter solstice on Sunday when days begin to lengthen.

Large parts of Sweden have seen less than five hours of sunlight so far in December, according to preliminary SMHI figures. Stockholm and several other places have it particularly dark with under one hour of sunshine. Meteorologist Linus Falk describes it as generally low figures due to low pressure and clouds.

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In her diary, Irina Pino shares how she copes with prolonged nighttime blackouts in Havana, relying on simple tools and reading to pass the time. She highlights the stark social differences revealed by these power outages, where wealthier families maintain generators while others adapt modestly.

SMHI has issued two yellow warnings for sudden black ice in northern Svealand and southern Norrland following recent snowstorms that have caused multiple traffic accidents. Meteorologist Toni Fuentes warns that rain can freeze quickly on cold roads despite rising temperatures. Police urge drivers to adjust speed and keep distance.

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Days after Storm Johannes battered northern Sweden, thousands of households remain without power, violating electricity laws limiting unplanned outages to 24 hours. The Energy Markets Inspectorate slams companies for poor maintenance and demands better preparedness amid new storms.

Storm Anna has brought extreme snow and winds to Sweden on New Year's Day, worsening conditions in Gävleborg after SMHI's red warning. Thousands of households lost power, repairs were halted for safety, and trains and buses face major cancellations amid impassable roads.

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After slush and above-freezing temperatures across much of the country, colder weather is approaching. A high-pressure ridge brings mostly dry conditions on Sunday, with sub-zero temperatures north of northern Dalarna and slight positives further south, according to SMHI.

 

 

 

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