In winter, cold is added to our natural laziness to do physical exercise. But, if you can’t find alternatives in house, know that you can perfectly keep doing physical exercise outdoor, in spite of the low temperatures . If you are a beginner or have never done it outdoors with cold temperatures and other wintery conditions, before starting you should always look for the advice of your medical assistant. What to wear and how to protect yourself Our body has its own mechanisms to maintain a stable temperature, around 37ºC. When we do exercise, the body warms up quickly. In winter, however, it is important to protect yourself, to avoid the risk of hypothermia. The solution in this time of the year is to dress by layers , without forgetting footwear and the equipment adequate for the exercise you intend to do. Wear light pieces of clothing, in synthetic fiber Prefer materials such as polar wool, polyester or polypropylene, which dry out quicker (cotton is not appropriate, for it retains the sweat from perspiration, reducing the body temperature). As a rule, you should wear three (light) layers of clothing : The layer closer to the skin should be of a material such as polyester or polypropylene, to allow perspiration to evaporate to the outer layers; The second layer should be insulating, in wool or polyester wool; The external and last layer should be a jacket appropriate to resist the wind and repel the rain. But unless it is raining or snowing heavily, this third layer should be removed during exercise, for it may retain sweat, not allowing its adequate evaporation. You can always take off/put on the several layers to suit your needs and in order to achieve the best thermal balance. The purpose is for the clothes to give you thermal comfort , while also allowing the process of transpiration . Never do exercise in your winter coat. If you go running, besides tights or pants specific for sports, you should wear thick socks (in wool or fiber-wool mixture). If you feel a sore throat when breathing, wear a scarf or similar around the mouth, to help retain the water vapor while exhaling. Breathing through the nose may help warming and moisten the air, which is not always possible when in effort. Use appropriate footwear Make sure the shoes you are wearing are the most adequate , especially if you are going running. Trainers are not all the same and should have specific features in order to avoid lesions. Both running and walking trainers should also be impermeable . Protect your extremities Protect, in particular, the extremities of the body, wearing gloves and hats . Against low temperatures, our body reacts to protect vital organs, and the extremities stay more vulnerable – hence the necessity of a special protection. There are pieces of clothing especially conceived to protect the extremities, retaining the heat and, at the same time, letting the sweat from perspiration go out. What kind of exercise to do Walking or running along the streets of your neighborhood, in parks or tracks. Besides easy, this is the least demanding physical exercise in terms of equipment. However, always keep in mind the irregularities of the ground, as well as humidity and ice accretion, that can make it slippery and propitiate falls; Exercise in gardens or parks that have fitness circuits for the public in general; Cycling . If you don’t have a bike, study the options of bike rental available in some municipalities. In any case, you should always wear a protective helmet; Roller skating or skating (if you are a fan and already have some experience in the use of the necessary equipment). Do not forget To take with you the equipment or tools necessary for the physical activity you intend to practice, if any; In the beginning of a run, walk or bike ride, try to go against the wind (if that is the case). That will ensure that, on your return, when you are sweatier and in higher risk of losing the heat in the body, you won’t have to also fight against that thermal constraint; Either in a run, walk, bike or roller skate ride, establish a plan and start with moderation: short circuits in the beginning and then, gradually, longer and lengthy ones; Take water with you (your body still needs water, even when it is cold) and take care to keep your skin hydrated. Air in winter is not only cold, but also very dry. Warming up and relaxation Warming up Physical exercise or sports practice should always be preceded of warm-up exercises, to improve the elasticity and range of movement, preventing muscle lesions. If you intend to go running, the experts recommend a dynamic warming up , with plenty of movement in order to warm up the muscles, instead of the traditional stretching, that is more static. Find a suggestion of warm-up exercises . Relaxation In the end, do not forget the relaxing exercises, that also help you not to cool down too quickly due to the cold weather. It is also better to reduce gradually the intensity of the effort associated to your exercise session, decelerating in the last 5/10 minutes. When breathing and heart rate are normalized, do some static stretching exercises . After exercising Once at home, it is time to remove quickly all the layers of sweated clothing , take a hot shower and put on clean and dry clothes . Sources: Cleveland Clinic. How to say active outside when the weather gets colder . 2020 Everyday Health. 12 winter workout tips for exercising outdoors no matter the weather . 2019 Runner’s World. Everything you need to know about running in the cold . 2020 SCL Health. How to dress for winter sports: Stay warm when playing hard The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
