Why highly sensitive people should embrace hygge

Finding calm, connection and contement

I read The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living almost as soon as it was published. The cute cover drew me in, but I also have a theory that highly sensitive people are naturally drawn to other highly sensitive people—or in this case, highly sensitive things. The book embraces a slower pace of life filled with coziness, tea, and quiet—a highly sensitive person’s dream.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich.

Not long after, I found myself filling my house with candles and homemade baking in preparation for a new friend who was coming to visit. I made sure the couch was layered with cozy blankets and pillows, the lights were dimmed, the candles aglow, and gentle music filled the air. As soon as she walked in, she remarked how calm it felt, which filled me with delight. Creating a welcoming space for friends who need a moment of respite has always been a big goal of mine, so it felt like a small win in life.

What is hygge?

The Danish word hygge (pronounced hoo-guh) embodies a sense of coziness and life’s simple pleasures. It’s about slowing down and savouring togetherness—whether with friends or in one’s own company—in a calm, cozy atmosphere. This might mean sharing a home-cooked meal with friends and engaging in intentional conversation or wrapping up in a blanket to read by the fire.

Though I’m not Danish, I see hygge as a lifestyle. It’s not a trend or an aesthetic to post on Instagram; it’s a way of appreciating one’s surroundings and embracing life’s goodness. It’s about valuing fewer possessions and less clutter to make room for deeper, more fulfilling relationships that bring connection, joy, and a sense of wholeness.

For highly sensitive people (and, I’d argue, many introverts as well), hygge is about slowing down and embracing the quiet.

How to hygge

Create a sensory haven

As the name suggests, highly sensitive people are sensitive to nearly everything and become easily overstimulated by their surroundings.

The first step to creating a hygge atmosphere is to ensure minimal stimulation in the environment. This often means dimming the lights, as bright lights can lead to headaches, increased stress, and overstimulation for HSPs. Using candles or warm lamps keeps the lighting soft, allowing highly sensitive people to begin to unwind.

A safe and relaxing space can also be accomplished with a comfortable room temperature, soft blankets (no scratchy textures!) and minimal clutter. Since HSPs have a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings, clutter adds to the sensory input they need to process. Too many visible objects can create a sense of overstimulation, making it harder for HSPs to relax or focus, leading to increased anxiety and emotional fatigue.

In a hygge space, less is always more.

Embrace the quiet

With heightened sensitivity to their surroundings, even moderate noise can quickly overwhelm HSPs, while loud sounds can be particularly triggering, sometimes even causing physical discomfort. When I am in a particularly heightened state and I hear a loud noise, I feel actual pain in my body. For an HSP, creating a hygge space involves keeping the noise level low and calm.

It’s also important for HSPs to avoid “noise” in the mind. Sitting quietly on the couch isn’t enough if they’re doom-scrolling, as this adds mental clutter. Hygge means embracing internal quiet, too—fully unplugging by turning off technology and allowing true stillness (and even a touch of boredom). This might include playing some gentle music, but not while multitasking; it’s about simply listening and letting the music dance through the quiet.

Be intentional about who you connect with

A big part of hygge living is about spending time in meaningful communion with others. For an HSP, this likely doesn’t mean attending a party or being surrounded by large groups of people. HSPs are not just introverts, they’re extroverts, too. Regardless of where an HSP draws their energy, it’s essential for them to spend time with people they feel genuinely connected to, avoiding the need to mask or overperform to fit in. This might mean being with just a few close friends—perhaps only one or two. It may also mean spending time alone to recharge.

The beauty of spending time alone is that you can still make it feel like an occasion. Prepare a delicious meal from scratch, play your favourite music, light some candles, and simply enjoy being present with yourself.

Spend time being mindful

To create a hygge space, mindfulness is essential. I often reflect on the idea of doom-scrolling, which is far from mindful. HSPs typically have strong emotional reactions to both positive and negative interactions, making life feel quickly exhausting. To regain balance, it's crucial to intentionally regulate one’s nervous system. For me, this includes practices like yoga, writing, taking a bath, meditating, playing the guitar or piano or listening to music. In fact, have you ever just sat and listened to music while doing nothing else? It reminds me of my early high school days (pre-cell phone) when there was nothing to do on a rainy Saturday but lay on my bed and listen to music. I recommend you try it (no phone, no book, no doodling on a piece of paper, just sitting and listening).

Final thoughts

Perhaps the most important aspect of hygge is discovering what it means to you personally. Each person's path to comfort is unique, even though hygge generally embodies a sense of coziness. Seek out that feeling of warmth and embrace it like a favourite sweater.