With the sun setting earlier, the need to layer up before stepping outside, the holidays being over and the added time scraping ice and snow off car windows, the yearly questions pop up again about why I chose to live somewhere with cold winters. I was hoping that spring would come early this year, but about a week ago the groundhog saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. If you are anything like me, you need a reminder of the physical and emotional benefits of winter.
One physical benefit of winter is that colder temperatures can help you think clearly. Researchers have found that people are less inclined to tackle cognitive problems in the summer. It could be from wanting to go to the beach instead or it could be the heat and its impact on glucose usage. Whatever the reason, this season might be the perfect time to tackle some harder cognitive problems. Maybe your chilly walk from class to class will help the information click. It can also help you sleep better. Our bodies’ core temperature naturally drops before falling asleep. Sleeping in the winter gives the body a head start so you could potentially fall asleep faster. Also, with more darkness and depending on when you have to wake up, the sun might not wake you up. It can be very stylish to wear a sleep mask, but it is not as necessary in winter.
Also, in cold weather, there are no mosquitos. Not getting bug bites is great, but it also significantly decreases mosquito-borne diseases. Similar to how there are no mosquitos, there is no pollen, which can help if you have allergies. When you do get a cold, you are better equipped to fight it off because the human immune system is activated when exposed to the cold. There are also many benefits to exercising in the cold. Some, like reducing inflammation, are similar to the benefits of ice baths after exercise. Running in colder weather can improve endurance because you sweat less and use less energy. So if you’ve been trying to hit a certain mile marker try running in the cold, you might get there. Exercising in cold weather can even strengthen your heart and lungs. However, cold weather does restrict blood vessels which can make the heart work extra hard, so if you have a heart condition, it is advised to be careful exercising in cold weather.
If you shouldn’t exercise in the winter or even if you don’t want to, just enduring the cold can impact your metabolism. Cold weather increases sensitivity to insulin. In patients with diabetes, the increase was comparable to the effect of a 12-week workout program. Overall, winter weather can help you think more clearly, sleep better, have a stronger immune system, get the most out of your workouts and have a positive impact on your metabolism. Knowing this helps me appreciate this winter season a little bit more.
Aside from the physical effects, winter can be a special time of year bringing its own set of emotional benefits. Looking out the window at a fresh snowfall can be beautiful. It can be special to see it looking like glitter when the sunshine hits it. It can be wonderful drinking a cozy cup of hot chocolate in your favorite mug in your comfy pajamas while watching a movie. There is nothing like the feeling of being a kid and answering the phone to hear that there is no school because it is a snow day. Winter weather allows for all different types of activities like sledding, ice skating and playing in the snow. It also allows for unique sports like skiing, bobsledding and curling. When looking at winter in a poetic way, we can see that winter can teach us about rest and perseverance. John Steinbeck said it best: “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
While I still have a list of grievances about winter, it is nice to know there are many positive effects of winter physically and emotionally. When we take time to look for the good in winter, we can find it.