00:002025 marks the eighth year in a row that Finland has been named the happiest country in the world
00:04by the World Happiness Index. As the UK comes in significantly lower at number 23, we took a visit
00:11to this Nordic territory to find out what they're doing differently from us. We flew into Helsinki
00:16via Finnair from London Heathrow and then boarded a train to the Lake Saima region in southern
00:21eastern Finland, surrounding the country's largest lake and we stayed in this area for the following
00:26few nights. Finland is often called the land of a thousand lakes but it actually has almost 188,000
00:33lakes. Another interesting fact there are 3.3 million saunas in Finland with a population of 5.8 million
00:41meaning there is one sauna for every 1.7 persons. During this trip our accommodation was situated
00:46within forest area with views looking straight out into the water. This is how most Finns live,
00:52even Helsinki is known for its generous amount of green space despite being a city. Finns are very
00:57connected to nature which was clear early on. There's definitely something peaceful about walking
01:02straight out the door and into woodland. The natural sounds of wildlife, the quietness of the area.
01:08We partook in a number of wellness related activities which would be part of a Finns everyday
01:13routine. These included fishing, cooking, seal watching and foraging. We also visited a number of
01:19different types of sauna, old and new and underwent cold water therapy. The food we ate was all organic
01:25and local to the land. I learned the reason Finns are so happy is because they strive for contentment
01:30and satisfaction. They look after their land and the land looks after them. They prioritise balance in
01:36life. And I definitely think the UK could take some lessons from Finland, be a bit slower, value nature more
01:43and prioritise balance.
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