People often think of walking as a warm-weather activity. However, getting outside during the winter is also beneficial. Explore five reasons to go walking in the winter instead of spending all your time indoors.
1. Fresh Air Is Good All-Year Round
Getting outside, feeling the sunshine, and inhaling fresh air can reduce stress and promote better health all year round.
People often spend significantly more time indoors during the winter. Going for a walk keeps you from feeling cooped up for too long.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is more common in the winter. Sunlight and fresh air help combat SAD and other forms of depression.
Despite the cold weather, the sun still shines during the winter. Spending time outdoors can provide your body with crucial vitamin D. Vitamin D boosts your mood and energy levels.
2. Cold Air May Help You Burn More Calories
A study found that people can burn about 34% more calories when hiking in the cold compared to warmer conditions. The cold weather requires more energy, which means that you burn more calories.
Your body also creates more heat when the air is cold. For example, when you shiver, your muscles contract to create warmth, which also burns energy.
You may also activate brown fat, which is a type of fat tissue that your body uses to produce extra heat. Both processes use additional calories.
3. Avoid Waiting Until Spring to Start Working Out
Some people use winter as an excuse to avoid working out. You may tell yourself that you can wait until the weather warms up to start exercising. Instead of putting exercise off, use the winter season to jumpstart your fitness routine.Walking is one of the best ways to burn fat and with walking apps such the one from Visorando you can plan your walk.
The colder weather may result in fewer responsibilities around the house, such as yard work. You can use the extra time to fit a walk into your daily schedule. By the time spring arrives, walking should become a habit, which makes it easier to keep in your routine.
4. Boost Your Immune System and Decrease Inflammation
Walking outdoors in the winter may boost your immune health and fight inflammation. The cold is believed to jumpstart the immune system and increase your ability to deal with inflammation.
Moderate physical activity, such as walking, is also believed to increase the health of your immune system. Studies show that 30 to 45 minutes of physical activity each day can significantly increase the number of healthy cells in your immune system.
Winter is also a good time to boost your immune health. The colder weather often leads to an increase in colds, cases of flu, and other types of respiratory illnesses.
People spend more time indoors during the colder weather, which leads to an increase in illnesses. Boosting your immune system may help you ward off illnesses or decrease the severity of the symptoms if you get sick.
5. Colder Weather May Help You Think More Clearly
Going for a walk in the winter can help you focus. Studies show that colder temperatures can help you think more clearly. A brisk walk may be the perfect solution for solving a particular problem or coming up with your next great idea.
