Embrace the Chill: Why Exercising Outdoors in Winter Is Great

As the temperature drops and winter sets in, a lot of us are inclined to hibernate indoors and forgo our regular exercise routines. However, embracing the chill and engaging in outdoor physical activities during winter can provide numerous benefits for both our physical and mental well-being. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages of exercising outdoors in winter and why it is a great idea to bundle up and brave the cold. In this episode we run through a few reasons why exercising outdoors in winter can be great. If you're into the science, and want to read more, some of the references are below. References: Kimlin, M.G. (2012). Geographic location and vitamin D synthesis. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 29(6), 453-461. Church, T.S. et al. (2010). Cold exposure increases energy expenditure without inducing shivering. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 42(2), 357-364. Cooney, G.M. et al. (2013). Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9), CD004366. Calogiuri, G. et al. (2019). Exercise in natural environments: Effects on physical and mental health outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(21), 4065. Kwan, M.Y. et al. (2019). Exploring the impact of outdoor walking group participation on depression and psychological well-being: A mixed-methods study. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 29(4), 602-614.