7 Reasons Why You Should Keep Exercising in Winter
Snow has fallen on the north-eastern part of the United States of America and it’s only a matter of time before it starts falling on the other parts of the country. This means that winter is definitely on its way and though it may be delightful to most kids it also means that some of us adults will find it harder to get out and enjoy our daily jog.
But even if winter is already here it doesn’t mean you should stop working out. In fact, you should strive even more to get your heart pumping because you need the exercise more this winter than the rest of the year. So instead of getting comfy in your bed read on and know why you should keep exercising in winter.
Running outside beats turning on the heater
Its wintertime so definitely you’ll feel a lot colder, but before your fingers touch the controls of your heater think about running outside for a change. Pumping your heart with a jog around the block is much more effective in keeping you warm than simply turning the thermostat up.
According to experts, once you pump up the blood in your veins with an hour of working out you’ll feel warmer already because your body temperature has risen. Not only is it an easy way to keep warm but it’s also more cost-efficient as compared to heating the whole house.
So instead of kicking back and letting your heater warm up your home grab your running shoes, go outside and run around the block a few times. Yes, it will feel cold at first but sooner or later you’ll feel warmer that you might even be tempted to shed off a few of your clothes.
The sun is good for you
Another thing about running around the block that can be beneficial to you is the chance to bask under the sun even if the cold doesn’t let you feel its warmth too much. The sun’s UV rays are a good source of vitamin D and you need this during wintertime even more because of the lack of it during this season.
Vitamin D is good for your bones as well as for fighting diabetes and keeping your blood pressure low. It’s also good for preventing cancer so get as much sun as you can when it starts getting colder.
The sun can beat the blues
Not only is the sun good for your body for a lot of things mentioned earlier, but it is also good for keeping your spirits up. According to experts, lack of sunshine can lead to depression. Scientists call it seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and some people experience depression when they don’t get enough sunlight. But scientists are careful not to jump to any conclusions since people who have been living in areas where the sun rarely even shows itself (think Fairbanks, Alaska) say that they’re fine and dandy even if they don’t get to see the sun that much.
It is still up for debate if lack of sunlight can lead to depression but most experts agree, and even those who aren’t experts would too, that an abundant amount of UV rays during wintertime can help lift your spirits a bitBesides, staying cooped up inside the house can be boring so get out when there’s a bit of sun left and run around the block for a little bit of exercise and a lot of vitamin D.
Exercising keeps you healthy
At the expense of stating the obvious, exercising will keep you healthy and you need this during winter because it’s also the season when you can be susceptible to certain illnesses.
Wintertime is the season when it’s easy to catch a flu or get a cold so in order to keep these illnesses at bay get up, get out and run! Exercising can boost your immune system giving you that edge to fight off viral and bacterial infections.
Another thing, exercising also boosts the production of endorphins, which will make you feel more positive and it also fights off stress that is also good for the body. Also, lying underneath the sheets when it’s cold outside may be comfortable but it can make you feel lethargic and unwilling to do other things you’re supposed to do for the day.
The fresh air is outside
When it’s winter you spend more time inside your house where it’s warm and comfy. Now it doesn’t necessarily mean that the air you breathe inside your home is dirty, it only means that you’re not getting much fresh air if you spend more time outside.
Prevent weight gain
When its winter it’s likely that you’ll gain more weight because you might be tempted to stay indoors, be inactive and eat more if you have nothing else to do. So it’s common to find yourself gaining more weight when the season is getting colder.
Don’t let that happen to you because not only is it unhealthy but it’s hard to get rid of that extra weight during winter and even when the cold season is over. So run around the block a few times to make sure you’re getting your daily dose of exercise and preventing some weight gain.
Obesity can actually worsen allergies
Finally, exercising is important especially for people with debilitating allergies because obesity has been discovered to be linked to eczema. According to scientists, a study that involved adolescents showed that there is a definite link between obesity and eczema. So in order to keep your eczema at bay make sure to get lots of exercise this winter season.