The weather outdoors may be very cold but that is no justification for staying indoors where it is warm and cozy. While you may have the urge to remain indoors you would be missing out on some great health benefits by braving the cold weather.
You can expect the following benefits from venturing outdoors during cold weather:
Get a Boost of Vitamin D
As well as the benefit of Serotonin from the sun you also receive a vitamin D dose. Vitamin D is required by your body to help it absorb calcium. It will also help with your immune system and combat inflammation. If you are wondering how much time you need to spend outdoors walking in the cold to enjoying these benefits? The answer is just ten minutes. Seems like a reasonable trade-off.
Helps Improve Your Memory
Taking a walk outdoors can have a positive effect on the cognitive function of your brain. In effect, it is just like meditating. If you can, brave the cold, and take a walk along a route surrounded by nature, then that will be even better.
You, Will, Be Much Happier!
Sunlight helps our bodies produce serotonin. That chemical compound helps to make everything feel much better. During the winter, our levels of serotonin are reduced significantly as we do not get the same daily doses of sunlight. For some people, it can be get become so bad that they need to have light therapy to help perk them up.
Be More Mindful
Walking outdoors in the freezing cold will have you focus on one thing, and that’s that “it is cold.” That is not a negative thing as it can also encourage you to go off the grid for the length of your walk. It lets you become much more mindful of the environment around you what you are experiencing. That can really help you clear the “fog” from your brain.
The next time when it is cold outdoors, wrap up and head out. Your body, mind, and spirit will really thank you.
