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The Health Benefits of Cold Weather

By Sara Butler

As you're sitting snuggly in your warm home with sub-zero temperatures outside, it can be difficult to appreciate cold temperatures. But the truth is that while winter is a challenging time of the year, it's also good for you in a lot of ways. Here are some of the most beneficial things about cold weather when it comes to your health.

It Gives Your Brain a Boost

Studies have found that cold weather helps you to perform important cognitive tasks, such as staying calm in stressful situations and making decisions. Basically, when it's cold outside you're less likely to be impulsive and takes risks. Also, the body uses more glucose when it's warm and glucose is your brain's main source of fuel. So, your brain has more resources when the weather is cold out!

You Burn More Calories

Your body has to work much harder to maintain its temperature when it's cold out and that means you burn more energy to keep yourself warm. Studies have found that people burn up to 30 percent more calories when doing something physical outside in the cold weather than when it's warm.

It's Good for Allergies

Many people love the winter because it's when all the bugs of summer go away, but another great thing about cold weather is that the allergens in the air are eliminated too. There's simply less grass, weed, and tree pollen in the air in the winter, which is good news for your stuffy nose and itchy eyes.

You Sleep Better

When you're trying to sleep your body prefers cooler temperatures. It's much easier in the winter for your body to fall down to its ideal sleeping temperature than it is in the summer. Plus, it's darker outside for longer and that helps you sleep later.

It's Good for Your Heart

During winter your heart has to work harder during tasks outside to help pump your body full of warm blood to maintain your body temperature -- and that's a very good thing. In fact, exercising outside in the winter can help to make your heart even stronger and once you warm up you can exercise for longer than you can when it's hot out. Just be careful if you have a risk of heart disease since the cold can raise your blood pressure and reduce oxygen to the brain, which puts more stress and strain on the heart.

Winter may not be your favorite season, but it's not all bad. Take advantage of what the season has to offer!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Columbus, Ohio.

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