The winter months are right around the corner, and although the cold may make us want to stay inside and cuddle up on the couch, it’s important to still fit exercise into our daily routines. Exercising in any weather is important, but did you know that exercising in the cold is especially beneficial to your overall health? Here are some of the benefits that cold-weather exercise can give you.
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Vitamin D
Winter means shorter days and less sunlight which can cause a lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for healthy bones and can reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer. Exercising outside in the daylight can give you the small dose of sunlight that your body desperately needs in the wintertime.
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Boosts Immune System
Winter is when the flu and cold season is at its peak. Exercising a little bit every day can help boost your immune system and fight off colds and the flu.
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Shivering Burns Calories
People expend five times more energy when shivering than when resting. Shivering helps to burn more calories and if you are exercising while shivering, you will burn more calories than if you were exercising in warm weather.
Dr. Barbara Edwards, Princeton internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.
Source: AccuWeather