Hang Over Hygge

For those who claim to not feel the effects of drinking in their twenties, I have some news for you!

I am a 29-year-old lady. (30 in March but I’m still in my twenties at the moment!!) Yesterday I went out with friends and at round about 3:30pm I am guessing, (not entirely sure what time it was) I had a large glass of red wine in a hyggeligt countryside pub in (What I believe was Oxfordshire) England. Very beautiful. I felt the wine’s effects straight away and wished I hadn’t consumed it.

By the time I got home it was above 5:30pm. I ate the good ol’ fish’n’chips (Only I had a sausage not a fish but I’m pretty sure it’s still classed as a Fish and Chip Supper) and by 7pm I was ready for bed. I was completely exhausted. It was enough for me to turn off Stranger Things and go to sleep.

I woke up just before 9am today and I felt utterly rotten. I felt like I was experiencing a full-on hangover…after one large red! Now my usual hangover cure is basically just flop about all day asking my boyfriend to get me ice lollies from the shop opposite and nursing a rather dodgy tummy however today I decided to do it differently. Probably because in my mind I was questioning the sincerity of the hangover. One glass should not equal one pounding head ache and that one eye that shows off a bit too.

I made myself a cup of tea and looked around my apartment. I hadn’t cleaned up before going to bed the night before. The couch was all dishevelled where I had been lay and the blanket was…well it was everywhere. In the kitchen, lay three days’ worth of washing up that I had intended to do the night before and crumbs on my kitchen sideboard. Oh no! Effort!!

Now I am one of these people that once I wake up, I cannot go back to sleep. My boyfriend did not come to sleep until about 5am because he was playing some World of Warcraft marathon. I don’t really know what that is, but I know if you talk to him during it he gets cross. So Aleksi will not be awake for hours and here I am magically hangover from hardly any alcohol and an apartment that needs thoroughly cleaning.

I will be totally honest with you, this is the first time I have ever done this…but it works!

So, I’m awake, it’s one of those hangovers where I can tell I’ll feel worse if I try and go back to sleep. I walk into my kitchen to get more tea and I get a curious urge. A feeling I have rarely felt before except on the few occasions I have been inspired by the witchcraft used on popular motivational TV shows, hosted by people like Jillian Michael's. In that moment I possessed the powerful desire to clean.

My kitchen sink is typically British. It is small, round and has two taps, one for hot and one for cold. Come on United Kingdom, washing your hands is like a game of Russian roulette. I had far too many dirty dishes and mugs to fit in this bowl. The draining board is also miniature, so this would mean I needed to break my washing up into three rounds. Drying and putting away as I went! Even more inspired I piled as many dishes and cutlery as I could muster and headed to the bathroom. Yes, ladies and gents, I did my dishes in the bath tub. Lazy girl life hack or what. With a power shower and that kind of space it’s done in minutes and lay neatly to dry on a large bath towel. Now I needed to vacuum and dust. It hardly took any time at all. When hungover and thinking of tasks in my head they always seem to last twice the duration that they should in real life. I just did it and afterward I realised I felt so much less pressure in my head.

It almost seems silly to me that I had never considered my environment when trying to nurse a hangover. Hygge is such a big part of my life and my environment is a huge factor in that area. Why? Seriously? Have I never considered that when I am unwell or hung over that decluttering my home and tidying up would help my head to feel the same?

I won’t lie to you, the hangover (if that is even what it is) is still present. My point is more, I took its colossal power away enough to tidy my apartment and write a blog post. I don’t feel 100% but I am clearly ok.

Next time you feel under the weather for whatever reason try and spruce the place up a bit. You may be surprised by how good this can make you feel. Acknowledge the present and you can hygge your way to anything. Preparation for hygge is a big step.

Also comment below if you would be interested in a Danish style apartment guide for other countries. My style and preferences are typically Danish but I live in England in stereotypical rented accommodation. I cannot decorate how I would like because of renting rules. There is carpet everywhere, (including the bathroom) instead of the beautiful wooden floor boards I like. Our windows are small and low and let in very little natural light. I am not allowed to light candles due to our overly sensitive fire alarms. This means despite my own personal preferences, I have had to adjust my style somewhat and still create the same hygge. 

Freja