Has winter sent your outdoor fitness habit into hibernation? Don’t wait until spring to get back outside.
Outdoor exercise is good for your body and mind, no matter the time of year.
During winter, exercise can help ward off the blues, boost energy, and prevent unwanted weight if you find yourself more sedentary this time of year.
And getting out of the house to work out can be extra mood-lifting. “Getting outside, even in the cold, allows us to reconnect with nature, break away from the digital and concrete world, and boost focus and creativity,” says Eric Ridings, a personal trainer and exercise massage therapist in private practice in Chicago.
Research found, for example, that at the height of pandemic-related lockdowns and social distancing, getting outdoors was a mental health win. A study published in November 2020 in the journal Ecological Applications found that Tokyo residents who spent more time outside in May 2020 reported better mental health, as measured by self-reported depression, life satisfaction, subjective happiness, self-esteem, and loneliness.