The Gloominess of Winter Exercise and How to Overcome it
The importance of staying active during the winter
For university students, winter can be as painful as studying for midterms and finals. The sudden drop in temperatures, unidentified snow storms, and lack of heating systems near bus stops is nothing short of hell. When most of their worries are overtaken by how many layers they need to wear to stay warm, it may never occur to them that as quickly as the temperature drops so does their effort to stay healthy.
Winter is not only the perfect excuse to stay inside, but it also drives the cravings of many for hot chocolate and sweet desserts. A dangerous combo that not only limits movement, but also increases sugar intake.
Why do we exercise less in Winter?
It’s pretty simple actually. With shorter days, more cloudiness than vibrancy in the sky, and less vitamin D intake, our bodies feel more tired than ever.
You may have looked outside on a particularly gloomy day and rather than feeling happy, your mood unintentionally drops. As quickly as the sun rises, it sets, leaving no room for anyone to enjoy it. With many students held up by lectures all day, they begin and end their day with the gloom. So, naturally, when they’ve gone home, all they want to do is rest and recharge, leaving no room to keep up with those new years health and fitness resolutions.
Scientifically, the sun’s diminished appearance also prevents students from producing a sufficient amount of vitamin D. In the summer, it takes as quickly as eight to 10 minutes to absorb the necessary amount, but with 90 per cent of our body covered in the Winter, it takes nearly two hours. The significant drop of vitamin D intake can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, bone pain, and many more symptoms that diminish one’s ability and motivation to exercise.
For those who do exercise, they may notice a decline in their intensity routines. This is due to various factors, one of which is the increase in our basic metabolic rate. The colder the weather, the more our bodies burn calories. Therefore, for those exercising, it may feel as though they can’t reach the same intensity as they would’ve in the summer because most of that energy is spent keeping the body warm outside the gym.
How to stay active in the Winter
There’s value in staying healthy, as hard as it can be when all you want to do is bundle up in your favourite hoodie. Physical activity decreases the risk of many health conditions, such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes, along with breast and colon cancer. It also reduces fatigue and depression, an essential factor for staying motivated in lectures and study sessions.
Students may opt-in to UTM’s various intramurals, from soccer, volleyball, badminton, archery, to many more for their daily dose of exercise. They can also head straight for the gym, where the equipment remains a constant unchangeable tool for students to meet their goals whatever mother nature may bring.
For those struggling to actively seek hardcore regimes, a simple walk around the house for 15 minutes is as valuable as making sure your body stays active and moving. If being outside in the fluffy white snow is your style, the Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Centre (RAWC) at UTM offers a plethora of engaging adventures from nature walks to skiing and snowboarding. There’s no perfect way to exercise, as long as you find the right method to move your body, you’re making sure the winter gloom doesn’t catch you.
