When I first moved to the northern hemisphere around eight years ago, I couldn’t stand the incredibly long daylight hours during spring and summer. It took every bit of those eight years for me to fully embrace and eventually love the prolonged days here.

From Equatorial Balance to Northern Extremes

Let me give you a little bit of context: I come from the equator, where day and night exist in perfect harmony, each consistently lasting twelve hours all year round. Back home, my body naturally aligned itself with this reliable rhythm. The sun was my effortless daily guide, signaling when to rise and when to rest without ever needing adjustment.

Over these years, I’ve called three different countries home: Sweden, Belgium, and now Finland.

Click here to know more about how living in these countries changed me personally.

The move to Sweden marked the first significant shock to my system. Not only did Sweden have distinct, vivid seasons, a stark contrast to my tropical roots, but its northern location brought dramatic swings in daylight. Winters meant the sun leisurely peeking out around 9 am and dipping gently below the horizon by 3 pm. Summers, conversely, meant sunlight stubbornly flooding the world as early as 4 am and defiantly lingering until nearly 10 pm. These drastic shifts felt extreme and initially unsettled my equatorial senses.

Why Winters Became My Productivity Paradise

Naturally inclined toward nighttime quietude, I was a night person who found my creativity blossoming in darkness. Early dawn or deep night hours offered peaceful solitude that supercharged my productivity.

Consequently, the long, cozy nights of Swedish winters quickly became my sanctuary. Wrapped in darkness, I thrived, accomplishing tasks with enthusiasm, undisturbed by the outside world.

The Struggle of the Endless Summer Solstice

On the flip side, the summer solstice felt almost torturous in those early years. Imagine sunlight stretching beyond eighteen relentless hours. Sleep became elusive, productivity diminished, and restful nights vanished entirely amidst the incessant daylight.

At that point in my life, I knew only two states: intense work or exhausted sleep. With reading as my sole hobby, I struggled to fill those extra sunlit hours. The excess daylight felt burdensome rather than joyful.

Discovering New Passions and Embracing Long Summers

Today, my story has beautifully evolved. With each passing year, I’ve gradually adapted, and more importantly, I’ve grown to genuinely appreciate the charm of those endless summer days. My old soul still cherishes the tranquil darkness of winter nights, but a new part of me has blossomed, embracing summer’s abundant sunlight.

The key shift happened as I explored and adopted new hobbies and interests throughout my journeys in Sweden, Belgium, and Finland. Now, I eagerly anticipate the long summer days, filling them with invigorating runs along lush, green trails, energizing gym sessions bathed in sunlight streaming through large windows, and calm journaling sessions while sunsets paint the skies in stunning, vivid hues.

I leisurely spend hours wandering arboretums or relaxing in vibrant city parks, strolling through lively streets well into the evening with sunglasses shading my eyes, or simply unwinding at home, mesmerized by golden sunbeams dancing gently across the walls.

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These newfound hobbies, both the grand and simple ones, have enriched my life profoundly. They’ve taught me not merely to adjust, but to truly savor the abundant daylight.

Living here in the northern hemisphere has imparted a valuable lesson: embracing change is about adapting as well as expanding your horizons, discovering passions you never knew existed, and wholeheartedly enjoying every extra moment the sun generously provides.