Did you know that the winter weather may be affecting your performance when you exercise?
While differing from person to person, there are some common effects of cold weather such as joint stiffness and muscle tightness. Here are some tips for when you are interested in exercising in cold weather.
Keep hands head and feet covered and warm
Inside the cold weather, the body concentrates the blood flow towards the heart and the lungs, which leaves the head and extremities vulnerable to frostbite. Make sure to layer up before going out for exercise to prevent frostbite. In addition, the blood flow is constricted by the muscles in the cold, so it is also suggested to do some warm ups to get blood pumping into those areas before any exercises.
Keeping hydrate
Not only is the air more dry during the winter which will take away the moisture from your body, the cold air also takes away some of the water in the form of water vapour that you see when you breathe out on a cold winter day. This causes water loss to be higher in the winter but the cold air can cause you to lose the sensation of thirst. Make sure to hydrate even if you don’t feel thirsty to prevent dehydration.
Bring a snack for longer exercises
In cold weather, the body will use up more energy to keep it warm so exercises will feel more tiring as a result. Make sure to have eat enough before or during exercises to have enough energy to finish.