Table of contents:
- Health benefits of cold weather
- 1. Burn more calories
- 2. Reducing muscle pain
- 3. Makes skin healthy and radiant
- 4. Prevent diseases caused by mosquitoes
- 5. Make sleep fast
- 6. The mind becomes clearer
When it's cold outside, the first thing you are sure to do is hide under a blanket while being accompanied by a warm cup of tea. Cold weather often makes the body shiver and uncomfortable. In fact, people with low immune systems will usually get sick more easily because they can't stand the cold air.
However, the cold weather is not as bad as you might think, you know! Health experts actually reveal that cold weather has many health benefits. Anything, huh? Find out through the following reviews.
Health benefits of cold weather
Cold weather is not always bad for health, you know. Here are the various health benefits of cold weather, including:
1. Burn more calories
You might think that exercising in the hot sun will burn more calories than when you exercise in winter. In fact, the reality is just the opposite.
This is evidenced by a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in 2012. The experts involved 6 healthy men and measured their metabolism during cold weather, but did not shiver.
Then, experts found that men's body metabolism increases up to 80 percent when the weather is cold. The body that is exposed to cold air actually burns more brown fat in the body.
The explanation is this. Our body consists of two types of fat, namely white fat and brown fat (brown fat). White fat is responsible for storing energy reserves, while brown fat is responsible for burning calories to generate heat.
When you are in cold temperatures, your body works harder to maintain your core body temperature. The trick, the body orders the brown fat to burn more calories to prevent cold. That's why, you will feel warmer and less shivering in cold weather.
2. Reducing muscle pain
When the leg is swollen or sore in the muscles, you may immediately apply the ice pack to relieve the symptoms. Well, how cold compresses work is what proves that cold temperatures can help deal with inflammation and muscle pain.
When exposed to cold air, dilated blood vessels are more relaxed and calm. As a result, the pain due to swollen feet or muscle cramps will gradually recover after applying the ice pack.
This is also confirmed by a study which found that athletes who received cold therapy (cryotherapy) tended to recover faster and be energized than athletes who received warm therapy.
3. Makes skin healthy and radiant
Usually, you will experience dry and stiff skin if you are exposed to the cold for too long. But make no mistake, cold weather can actually make your skin look healthy and radiant, you know.
Cold weather acts as an astringent that can tighten skin pores. In addition, cold temperatures can also help slow down the production of natural oils or sebum so that your skin will glow more and avoid acne.
4. Prevent diseases caused by mosquitoes
One of the advantages of being in cold weather is that it can prevent several diseases caused by mosquitoes, for example dengue fever and the Zika virus. Cold temperatures, which are below 10 degrees Celsius, are usually used by Aedes and Culex mosquitoes for hibernation and do not actively attack humans.
This means that you tend to be less likely to get bitten by mosquitoes during cold weather. That way, you can breathe a little relieved by the shadow of the risk of dengue fever when the weather is cold.
5. Make sleep fast
When you have trouble sleeping or have insomnia, try setting your room temperature lower. Cold air can help you sleep faster, you know.
Your core temperature will naturally drop when you begin to close your eyes and try to sleep. A health expert and founder of Almeda Labs, Stacy Tucker, RN, reveals that this process occurs more quickly when the weather outside is cold. In fact, this temperature drop normally takes up to 2 hours when the weather is hot.
Well, it works the same way as when you adjust the temperature of the air conditioner in the room. The cooler the temperature in the room, the more comfortable the atmosphere will be and will make you sleep quickly.
Likewise with your body. The faster your core temperature decreases due to exposure to cold air, the faster you will feel sleepy and fall asleep.
6. The mind becomes clearer
A study shows that office workers who work in a cold room are better able to complete their work optimally, compared to workers who work in a warm room.
Experts argue that a person's brain function is regulated by glucose levels, aka blood sugar. Apart from being influenced by food, blood sugar levels in the body are also influenced by your own body core temperature.
The explanation is this, when the weather is hot outside, the body will use more glucose to lower body temperature. As a result, the body actually lacks glucose intake and makes you sweaty, dizzy, and unfocused.
Conversely, when it's cold outside, your body stores more glucose. Because not much glucose is used, your body won't sweat.
At the same time, your brain functions optimally so that the mind becomes clearer and more focused. As a result, there will be more new inspiration when it is cold outside.
