Staying Active in Winter
As the seasons change, there has been a notable decline in temperature, sunlight hours and often a dip in motivation to stay active. Colder weather can make it difficult to prioritise physical activity. But staying active year-round is essential for your physical and mental health, as well as improved sleep, motivation, focus and emotional wellbeing.
The Irish Sport Monitor (ISM) report found that 36% of adults met National Physical Activity Guidelines in the first half of 2022. Current guidelines recommend that adults aged 18-64 years old aim for 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, as well as muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice weekly. Examples of moderate intensity exercise would be brisk walking, hiking, golf, or housework and gardening (ISM, 2024).
Our workout sessions may need some initial adjustments as we take weather, warmth, hydration and safety into consideration. Continue reading for some tips to keep active during the colder months.
Dress appropriately: Start of with a thin layer of synthetic material (E.g. workout gear made from nylon) which should absorb sweat and dry quickly. Follow this with a layer of insulation such as a jumper for warmth and then a thin wind breaker or waterproof jacket – depending on the weather. Don’t forget to wear a hat, gloves, and thick socks to protect the extremities from the colder weather too.
Stay seen: As the evenings get darker, poor road lighting and reduced visibility due to rain can make it more difficult to be seen when out exercising. Stay safe by wearing bright coloured clothes, head torch and a reflective vest. Improve your own visibility to prevent falls which could lead to injury.
Warm up properly: Cold muscles are at greater risk of injury, so it is important to warm-up properly before your workout. A short warm up before exercise will increase blood flow, heart rate and body temperature to help decrease the risk of injury. Examples of quick warm-ups that could be done would be: arm swings, lunges, jogging on the spot, and high knees (Harvard Health, 2018).
Apply sunscreen: There is a common misconception, especially in Ireland, that sunscreen isn’t needed in the winter period but this is not the case. It is still possible to get burnt and cause skin damage this time of year and so wearing a daily sunscreen of no less than SPF 30 will give the protection needed. It is also advised to reapply this every 2-3 hours (Institute of Dermatologists, 2021).
Sip water: Despite the cold, we still loose fluids during exercise through sweat and breathing. Sip on water before, during and after your workout, it is important to stay hydrated, even though you might not feel thirsty.
Cool down and change: Once you stop exercising, you will start to get cold quickly. By tapering the intensity of your activity during the final 5 minutes, your heart rate can return to normal. To cool down, repeat similar exercises to your warm-up and stretch muscles to prevent stiffness. Once home change into fresh, dry clothes. If you have a step tracker, a good target is 10,000 steps a day.
