As the outdoor temperature gauge drops and the warm summer sun fades into a distant memory, it’s easy to develop a case of the winter weather blues. However, cold weather has many positives in the form of health benefits.
Read on to learn how the cold weather changing can make you feel like your best self because of these 8 surprising health benefits of winter weather.
Cooler Temperatures Boost Your Brain
Colder temperatures help people think more clearly. Research shows that people perform tasks better when the room temperature is set at a colder setting than a warmer one. What’s more, additional research has shown that people are more inclined to tackle cognitive problems in the winter than in the summer because warmer temperatures use more glucose that is needed for mental processes.
Helps You Burn Calories
Our bodies are padded with two kinds of fat – white fat and brown fat. While white fat is the largest energy reserve in the body, brown fat triggers your body to burn calories to generate heat. When it is cold, your body works harder to maintain your core temperature. Our bodies use a considerable amount of energy to help in keeping us warm while out in the cold, making it easier to burn more calories.
An Increase in Brown Fat
Most fat in our bodies appears whitish in color, while brown fat is the mitochondria-packed fat cells that burn energy and produces heat in the body. Those with a lower body mass index (BMI) tend to have a higher content of brown fat. Additionally, those that are exposed to colder temperatures have an increase in brown fat – and a corresponding boost in metabolism.
Lessens Allergens
If you suffer from outdoor seasonal allergies, winter is likely your sinuses favorite time of year. Pollen counts are virtually nonexistent in cold and snowy weather. If you have indoor allergies, however, you are not in the clear. Mold and dust mite allergies can be worse during the winter months, especially if you spend most of your time indoors.
Reduced Inflammation
After an injury, it’s likely you use an ice pack to decrease swelling and pain. The cold winter months work as a surrounding natural ice pack. You may notice your joints feeling less swollen or puffy with a decrease in inflammation.
Lowered Risk of Contracting Diseases
The winter weather allows you to be in the clear for several diseases and viruses that are more prevalent in warmer temperatures. Mainly due to the fact that mosquitoes hibernate during the winter, which allows for a decrease in mosquito-borne diseases, including Zika, West Nile Virus, dengue fever, and malaria. While your risk of contracting a disease lowers, your chances of catching a common cold increase, so be sure to keep up on health and safety practices such as washing your hands.
Improves Your Sleep
Sleep is vital for healthy looking skin. From reducing under-eye circles to giving you a glowing complexion, a full night’s sleep is imperative. Warm nighttime temperatures in the summer months actually disturb your sleep patterns causing tossing and turning for most people. Cooler temperatures while you sleep mimics the body’s natural drop in internal temperature that occurs a few hours after you doze off.
If your bedroom temperature is set between 60 and 67 degrees, you might burn more calories, too.
Rejuvenates the Face
When you wash your face with cold water in the morning, it keeps your skin tight, vibrant and radiant. Cold water tightens your cuticles and pores, sealing the pores in the skin. It is harder for dirt and oils to get into your pores if they are smaller. The cold weather works to rejuvenate your face in the same way with your skin as cold water.
Colder temperatures can also act as a tonic or astringent reducing clogged pores and keeping them less visible. Cold weather also slows down and prevents the secretion of sebum, keeping shine at bay and waterproofing your skin and hair. Open pores and less oil means reduced acne as well.
Giving Your Winter Skin a Boost
There’s no doubt about it; winter can be tough on our bodies and overall well being. Treat your skin (and yourself!) to a winter skin treatment from Laser Aesthetic Center. A facial will give your skin the nourishment and moisturizing it craves.