Sweden: The country 'prescribed' by doctors
A cheeky new ad campaign claims that visiting the Nordic nation and embracing Swedish culture can improve your wellbeing – and it's turning to medical experts to make its case.
A video for Sweden's latest publicity campaign starts with an intriguing question.
"Did you know that Sweden is the first country in the world that doctors can prescribe?" asks a woman in a white lab coat with a stethoscope slung around her neck, standing in front of a snow-capped mountain range. "Because Sweden is filled with activities that make you feel good," she adds with a deadpan delivery. As an icy gust howls, the camera zooms out to reveal she's half-submerged in a frozen lake.
"A classic sauna activates your parasympathetic nervous system for profound relaxation," the woman continues, still fully clad in her lab coat, while sharing a steaming sauna with half-naked patrons. "Or maybe, you prefer nightlife?" she asks, sliding on a pair of sunglasses as the midnight sun illuminates a fjord. "Here in Sweden, the sun won't go down for 100 days. Just imagine what 24-7 light therapy could do for you."
Despite its tongue-in-cheek tone, the country's newest tourism initiative, which launched late last month and is called The Swedish Prescription, is meant to highlight how exploring the Nordic nation's vast wilderness and embracing Swedish culture can improve your wellbeing – and it's leaning into science to make its case.
According to the World Health Organization, studies have shown that increased exposure to nature can help reduce stress, improve one's overall mood, enhance cognitive function and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
In a nation home to more than 265,000 islands, 100,000 lakes, 5,700 nature reserves and that famously has a veritable law of wanderlust (allemansrätten) enshrined in its constitution, travellers aren't just allowed to explore Sweden's outdoors; they're encouraged to.
Add in the concepts of friluftsliv (literally: "open-air living") in which Swedes regularly unplug and seek out nature; stress-reducing activities such as forest bathing and deep-sleep retreats; and a holistic approach to life known as lagom, asking your doctor to "prescribe you Sweden", might make you feel better after all, the campaign cheekily suggests.
As Steve Robertshaw, Senior PR Manager at Visit Sweden notes, these traditional activities designed to reset one's mind and body are all a crucial part of the "Swedish DNA".
"We live in a world of turmoil. Many people are struggling to cope and are suffering from stress and anxiety," Robertshaw says. "This initiative creates an opportunity to highlight the benefits of Sweden's nature and lifestyle as a research-backed growing movement in patient care."
To craft the campaign, Visit Sweden teamed up with four........
© BBC
