The Health Benefits of Getting Outside in the Winter

When the cold sets in, it’s tempting to spend most of your time inside and beneath a warm blanket. But spending a season cooped up inside isn’t just boring; it’s also bad for your physical and mental health. Getting outside and staying active helps you stay healthy and keep your spirits up throughout the season. Plus, winter brings new sights and activities that you can’t experience any other time of the year. Live in the moment and make the most of this season by heading outside and seeing all that the natural world has to offer. If that’s not enough inspiration, read on and explore these health benefits of getting outside in the winter.

Shake Off the Winter Blues

There’s a reason why fresh air and sunshine are crucial for overall well-being. Being around nature raises your serotonin levels and encourages your body to produce more positive hormones. As such, spending time outside is a surefire way to improve your mood.

This is particularly important in the winter when the days are shorter and overall light levels are lower. Even people who don’t suffer from mood disorders can start to feel glum or have low energy levels during the winter. Counteract those winter blues by making a point of getting outside. Even a quick walk around the block or a few minutes sipping your coffee on the porch can help you feel better during a rough day.

Get Your Vitamin D

The sun is the greatest natural source of vitamin D in the world. If you go for long periods of time without a lot of sunlight, you can become deficient in this essential nutrient. Vitamin D helps the body regulate calcium and phosphate levels, which promote good bone, teeth, and muscle health. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone pain and deformities. Vitamin D deficiency can also cause fatigue, muscle weakness, and depression.

Spending more time outside makes it much easier to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Colorado is lucky to have plenty of sunshine throughout every season, but you have to take advantage of it. Get outside, and bask in the sun. Just don’t forget to wear sunscreen—you can still burn in the winter.

Leave the Hectic World Behind

Everything seems to revolve around a screen these days. Between work, appointments, and your online social life, you might find it hard to step away from your phone or laptop for more than a few minutes. As helpful as modern technology is, we all need a break. In fact, stepping away from the screen should be a daily habit.

Being outside makes this much easier. Leave the phones indoors, and take some time to just exist without the buzzing, ringing, and notifications from the rest of the world. Stepping away from your devices reduces your screen time, which can preserve your eyesight and help you sleep better at night. Plus, it creates a perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness. Feel more content and in-the-moment when you enjoy your time outside without all the distractions of your busy life.

Support Your Natural Sleep Cycle

Your body runs on an internal clock—also known as the circadian cycle or circadian rhythm—that naturally regulates daily physical, mental, and behavioral changes through the sleep-wake cycle. If you’re struggling to fall asleep at night, it might be because your circadian rhythm is out of balance. What’s a good way to fix that sleep cycle? You guessed it—going outside.

While you don’t need to see the sun to know that it’s daytime, your body is a different story. Spending time outside in the sun helps regulate your internal clock and makes it easier to unwind and fall asleep when nighttime comes around. Moreover, the physical activity you get from walking, working, or playing outside helps expend the day’s energy so that your mind and body can actually rest at night. Being active during the day helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night.

Give Your Immune System a Boost

A healthy immune system relies on a lot of different factors, including many of the health benefits of getting outside in the winter. For example, sleep deprivation weakens your immune system and makes you more susceptible to bacteria and infections. Similarly, a lack of vital nutrients—including vitamin D—can make you more vulnerable to diseases. Even high stress levels can hurt your immune system.

Spending time outside benefits your overall health, which means it’s a surefire way to boost your immune system as well. The cold air and lower humidity levels of winter make it easier for bacteria and viruses to hang around, so a strong immune system is vital for a safe and healthy season.

Staying Active Fights Off Cabin Fever

Do you ever experience cabin fever in the winter? Isolating yourself at home and away from others due to the weather is never a good thing. It can lead to irritability, loneliness, restlessness, and plenty of other negative feelings. Getting outside can help, especially if you do so with family or friends. Go on a walk around the neighborhood, take the kids to the park, or meet up with friends to go walking, running, or biking. The more time you spend out and about with people, the harder it is for those feelings of isolation to take over.

It’s Just Plain Fun

Even the biggest winter haters can’t deny that slinging snowballs or placing a top hat on a snowman is great fun. Winter might not be for everybody, but you can always find something to do that gets you out of the house and into the fresh air. Whether you’re taking a break from work with a brisk walk or bringing out your inner child whenever it snows, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the season. Never let the winter cold and gloom stop you from having fun and staying healthy.

Are you ready to spend more time outside having fun and improving your health this winter? Make sure you prepare for the cold by bundling up with men’s Colorado sweatshirts from YoColorado. Our soft and cozy apparel will help you stay warm, no matter where you go or what you do this season. Stay safe and have fun when you shop the cold weather apparel at YoColorado today.