“WWhen it’s cold outside, I find that a quick ice bath helps me. It is so cold that the outside conditions feel ‘warm’. It resets my resilience bar.” The words of extreme endurance athlete Sean Conway, who has run in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius. But what about tastier ways to deal with the cold? And are there actually any benefits to exercising in the cold?
Why does exercising in the cold feel harder?
The good news is that temperatures in Britain are rarely low enough to lead to frostbite or hypothermia. However, according to a 2014 study, your weekly parkrun could be slower statement from the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences: “Performance in the cold can be affected by cooling of nerves, muscles and deep body temperature.” That same statement suggests that a decrease in body temperature by 0.5 C-1.5 C reduces the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles by 10-40%.
On the plus side, you are an oven by nature. “Human motors are about 25% efficient,” says Dr. Michael Kennedy, associate professor in the faculty of kinesiology, sport and recreation at the University of Alberta in Canada. “A large part of the remaining 75% is heat. That’s the good news for warming. The bad news is that a significant sweat response means your skin is getting wet. Liquid is much more dense than air, meaning saturated skin and clothing can lead to hypothermia.
So what should I wear in the cold?
In short, layers. The premise is that wearing multiple thin pieces of clothing means you can add or remove them depending on how hot or cold you feel. “Wear loose-fitting clothing to create air pockets of warmth between layers, but it should also be breathable and wind-resistant,” says Kennedy. This is extra important while cycling because of the perceived temperature. For example, if it is 4 degrees Celsius and you are driving at a speed of 16 km/h, it will feel like -1 degrees Celsius. That drops to -12C if you drive at a speed of 60 km/h. Also wear a base layer made of polyester or merino wool, as this wicks (wicks) sweat away from the body to the outside of the fabric.
Other tips include wearing clear sports glasses to reduce discomfort such as watery eyes. “If it’s really cold, apply petroleum jelly to your lips and nasal passages as well, as this will reduce cold exposure,” says Kennedy.
Gloves are essential, although Mike Tipton, professor of human and applied physiology at the University of Portsmouth, recommends mittens because less heat is lost. And a balaclava or snood is a valuable winter investment. “Breathing cold air can activate thermoreceptors (nerve endings that sense temperature) in the upper airways, which can lead to cold-induced bronchoconstriction with exertion,” says Kennedy. “So cover your mouth and nose. Additionally, research has shown that maintaining the temperature in your nostrils preserves your ability to fight inhaled viruses.”
As for the warm-up: “Do this indoors. One of the responses to cold is to cut off the blood supply to the periphery,” says Tipton. “Once that happens, it will be difficult to open the ships again. Walking up and down a flight of stairs for ten minutes gets the blood flowing, but not to the stage of sweating.”
I’m warmed up, what now?
Layering and warming up should overcome most physiological hurdles. But what about the mechanical? “Trips and falls increase when it’s cold, but not just because of slippery conditions,” Tipton said. “As muscles and nerves cool, neuromuscular function is compromised, resulting in increasing disability. The limbs are particularly affected because of their high surface area to mass ratio.”
And don’t forget to drink. Hydration is often overlooked during the winter months because you sweat less unless you are poorly dressed. “That’s a mistake,” says Kennedy. “You should continue to sip during exercise, both for hydration status and lung health. You lose quite a bit of water due to heavy breathing during exercise in cold air, and this needs to be replenished in addition to your normal water loss.”
There is empirical evidence that high-intensity winter exercise is also worthwhile. A 2021 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that training hard at 0C tripled lipid oxidation – fat burning – compared to training hard at 21C.
An advantage of braving the cold now is that by Christmas you will have become accustomed to lower temperatures. “From a thermal comfort perspective, we know that early in the winter your body perceives cold air as a greater stressor than later,” says Kennedy, who adds that 10 days of cold exposure changes perception so that you don’t “feel” the cold. as painful. There is further evidence that prolonged periods of cold naturally cause you to retain more heat and increase your metabolism in an attempt to generate more heat.
Does exercising in cold weather have additional benefits?
Wim “The Iceman” Hof, a famous proponent of cold therapy, suggests that frequent exposure to low temperatures naturally creates a more fiery furnace because you activate a substance called brown fat. He credits brown fat with keeping him warm during his cold exploits, which included climbing Mount Kilimanjaro wearing only shorts. We all have brown fat, although babies have a relatively large amount of it to keep them warm because they can’t shiver. This decreases with age.
Kennedy says the English Channel Swimming Association swimmers would acclimatize to the cold and have significantly greater “non-shivering thermogenesis” due to the activation of brown fat, compared to non-acclimatized swimmers.
Tipton is more skeptical about its thermogenic properties. “Brown fat generates very little heat,” he says. “When you sit down, you produce 100 watts of heat, so little more than an incandescent bulb. For jogging you’re looking at 1,000 watts, which can go up to about 3,000 watts if you work really hard. Brown fat is about 30 watts. On the other hand, there are indications that it is good for you.” That is supported by Research from 2020 in the news Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis and vascular biology which showed that activating brown fat through cold activities such as swimming in winter improved cardiovascular health.
What if you are still afraid of exercising in the cold?
Try reframing how you think about cold conditions. “Consider the cold as your enemy and that by dressing in a well-layered ensemble that covers all the right parts of the body, you will win the battle against the ‘winter malaise,’” says Kennedy. “I would also say that your body needs five minutes to adjust, especially if it’s windy and wet. But know that if – when – you get through those first five minutes, your body temperature and those sensory nerves will have calmed down and you will feel more comfortable. Or you can do what I have sometimes resorted to. When I have little motivation, I shout at myself to get out the door!”