As the days become shorter and colder the idea of snuggling up on the sofa with a favorite treat and a gripping series can be an all too enticing idea. It makes it easier to put off any activity that might mean leaving the warmth and comfort of your home, after all, skipping it once won’t do any harm, right?
As a matter of fact, this is where you’re wrong, occasionally skipping a run or outdoor activity is normal, however, exercise is especially in winter, when those endorphins can give you a much-needed boost.
So why is it important?
Exercise, on the whole, is important for our well-being. It is often recommended to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 times a week, but preferably daily. This can sometimes be challenging in our daily lives due to work and social activities, but it is so beneficial, both to our physical health and mental health.
When we spend so much of our lives staring at a screen, being active means that we concentrate on something completely different, and get to know our bodies in a different way. If active outside, it also allows us to appreciate the changes in the seasons and the world around us with no distractions.
Frequently exercising helps with things such as manual dexterity, keeping osteoporosis at bay, improving stamina, and a plethora of other health benefits.
One of which is maintaining a healthy weight. Sticking to some kind of exercise especially during the festive season can also mean that you can enjoy it relatively guilt-free. This lack of guilt will allow you to really enjoy the moment, and take complete advantage of it, due to not being worried about different external factors. You’ll also feel respected and impressed at all your body does for you. Occasionally it can be easy to forget the many marvelous things it does.
Keeping active over the winter period will also mean that there is no knee-jerk reaction to the warmer months coming, both the idea of shedding layers of clothing, and also getting back into training.
If an exercise regime has been maintained, you should also be able to continue your chosen activity with a lesser probability of injury, in addition to this, due to not having stopped exercising, you will be able to continue exercising at the same level and intensity as you always had. The slow and painful process of getting your fitness back up will not be necessary.
Mental Well-being
Our mental health is something that most of us keep private, however, exercise has been greatly appreciated as being a great mood booster.
Looking out the window on a winter morning, and thinking about going out in the cold and wet doesn’t sound like the nicest way to start the day, however, the feeling of having accomplished something, and the endorphins triggered by movement virtually always outweigh the previous grumbles.
In addition to the long lauded endorphins, which are, if anything even more important in winter due to the reduced hours of sunlight, getting out, if in the daytime, will also allow you to take advantage of any available vitamin D. Although in winter we often don’t get enough Vitamin D from the sunlight, it can also help our moods.
Although the desire to hibernate at home under blankets over the winter season is tempting, keeping active, either inside, or out can really help us maintain our physical and mental health. Why don’t you give it a go and see how you feel afterward when you’ve got rosy cheeks and endorphins pumping in your system