Discover the health benefits of winter cold
Whether you are a fan of the cold winter or a person who hates it, we know the benefits of the cold in winter for health if dealt with correctly.
The temperatures drop dramatically in the winter, and you may just want to sit somewhere warm all the time and have a hot drink.
But have you ever asked yourself what are the benefits of winter cold for health? This is what we will cover in the following:
Health benefits of winter cold
Here are the highlights of the following:
1. Cold weather improves sleep quality
The body usually follows a regular rhythm in our daily activity patterns, such as sleeping and eating, and it has been shown that any changes in the body's regular rhythm may negatively affect the quality of sleep, which naturally leads to a range of health problems.
It has been shown that not getting enough sleep may:
- It reduces the quality of a person's cognitive abilities.
- It increases the chances of kidney disease.
- It increases the chances of developing diabetes.
And it turns out that people with insomnia are not able to lower their body temperature appropriately when trying to sleep, which reduces the ability of insomnia patients to get enough sleep.
Here comes the benefits of the cold in winter for health, as it contributes to lowering the body temperature during sleep in a way that allows a person to fall into a deep sleep without insomnia or problems.
2. Cold increases appetite
Several studies have been issued in this regard, including:
- Experts explained that the appetite for food increases in the winter, especially with low temperatures.
- A study found that exercising in cold weather increases hunger.
So if you are one of the people who suffer from a low appetite for food, you can get the benefits of the cold in this regard by walking or running in the cold weather or doing some simple exercise as it may be enough to make you feel hungry.
3. Converts white fat to brown
If you are afraid of your appetite throughout the winter period and are afraid of the extra kilos that these may bring you, do not worry too much, the cold weather may enhance your ability to lose fat.
It is worth noting that the fat that is stored in the body is generally divided into two types:
- White fat: It is a bad type of fat, and this accumulates in the body to cause obesity.
- Brown fats: These are the good fats that provide the body with the energy it needs.
Scientists have long searched for ways to turn white fat into brown, which recent studies have shown that low temperatures play a role, and this is one of the very important benefits of the cold.
In winter, the body is constantly looking for ways to keep itself warm, which of course requires it to burn its stores of fat.
4. Feeling cold helps to lose weight
It was found that the only shiver that a person feels in cold weather burns excess fat, as the chills stimulate the production of the hormone irisin, a hormone that stimulates the burning of fat.
To be more precise, shivering for 15 minutes in cold weather is as effective as about an hour of exercise.
5. Reducing the chances of infections
One of the well-known benefits of cold is to reduce the chances of infection with various infections, hence the method of applying cold compresses and ice cubes on bruises after injury.
But please be careful, as applying ice cubes to a certain part of the body for a long time or with an intensity that exceeds the possibility of the injured body may be counterproductive, and using it correctly may numb the area in a way that relieves the pain associated with the injury, and reduces the severity of the injury
6. Changing the psychological state of some
Although winter is the season of depression and negative mood swings for many as a result of seasonal change syndrome, it is not entirely the case for everyone, as some feel the exact opposite.
It turns out that we tend to make longer phone calls during the colder days of the year, in the winter, but with fewer people.
Or in other words, it is one of the benefits of the cold:
- It keeps you confined to your home on some days, and may motivate you to communicate with many people and relatives better even from a distance.
- It makes you more creative than ever.