Tips for staying active during the winter

Don’t hibernate: Here’s how you can combat letting cold weather affect your health habits

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It’s natural to want to hibernate during the winter. Snuggling up on the couch with some comfort food after a long day of work or school is way more tempting when it’s dark and cold outside — but there are many health benefits to finding the motivation to move your body and step away from your screens at some point during the day.

According to many health experts including Ericka Lucas, physical therapist at Memorial Regional Health, exercise can improve mood, sleep, blood sugar levels, cardiovascular endurance, and memory and cognition. Not only does exercise and limited screen time keep you physically healthy, it also keeps your mind sharp.

Staying inside to avoid the cold weather puts us at a higher risk for depression and makes it easier to doom scroll on our phones, so any excuse to get in some sunshine and move our bodies can work wonders for our mental health.

“Exercise is especially important as we continue to navigate COVID-19, as we are more physically isolated from others and this can have a big impact on mood,” Lucas said. “It’s important that we think of exercise as a way to thank our bodies for everything they do instead of using exercise as a punishment.”

Luckily, there are several easy ways for us to start exercising both our bodies and mind. Lucas and Susan Jones, occupational therapist at MRH, provided their advice on how people of all ages can do just that.

Embrace the cold

The first step to getting outside in the cold is overcoming the mental hurdle that it’s too cold. Bundle up accordingly, and once you get your heart rate up, you’ll notice how quickly you begin to warm up. If you’re looking for extra inspiration, Lucas recommends shifting your focus to the benefits of exercise instead of exercising to lose weight or to change your body composition.

Jones said it’s just as important for our kids to get out when it’s cold. Benefits to outdoor winter adventures include appreciating the outdoors from a new perspective, immersing them in new challenges and situations that encourage problem-solving, and natural exercise while using different muscle groups.

Some realistic recommendations for kids and adults from Lucas and Jones include:

  • Snowshoeing
  • Nordic skiing
  • Walking or running
  • Sledding
  • Snowball fights
  • Building a snowman or a snow fort
  • Playing outside or going to the park
  • Ice skating

“Find an activity that you enjoy, and you will be more likely to stick with it,” Lucas said.

It’s still important to maintain 6 feet of distance from others who are not in your household when engaging in outdoor activities. If you’re an athlete, or winter is the time of year when you physically thrive, here’s how you can prevent injuries during your favorite winter activities.

LOOK: An infographic explains a few wintertime activities that people of all ages can participate in. 

For when it’s too cold

Of course, there are days when it will actually be safer to complete your workout indoors.

If that’s the case, Lucas recommends indoor activities such as yoga, Pilates, resistance training with free weights, bodyweight exercises, dancing or downloading a free exercise app on your phone — “FitOn is a good one,” she said.

Children can make a fort out of couch cushions and chairs, Jones suggested, or they can be used as a fun, creative way to make an obstacle course. Try creating a Bingo card with different activities like jumping jacks, animal walks and balance challenges that can be filled in throughout the week or month to earn a prize or desired activity. Jones also recommended online kids’ yoga or other activities that are easily accessible, if you think your child will enjoy them.

You can also take everyday tasks and incorporate movement, such as holding a wall sit as you wait for your water to boil or if you’re playing a game like Uno, making the person who changes the color do 10 jumping jacks.

For parents: Limiting your kiddos’ screen time

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children ages 8 to 12 in the U.S. spend an average of 4 to 6 hours a day watching or using screens, and teens spend up to 9 hours.

While there are many benefits to technology, phones, tablets and computers can cause a disruption in proper usage of brain chemicals, and it may make traditional play seem boring and not as “action-packed” as a video game or an app. Jones said screen time can also disrupt sleep patterns.

“It’s incredibly important for children to engage in imaginative play without devices; play is how children learn and grow,” Jones said. “As an OT, it is often obvious when a child is getting an excessive amount of screen time by how they interact with toys. Children who have increased screen time struggle with imaginative play.”

Some ways she suggests limiting screen usage is by introducing new activities that will engage your children. Ideas include:

  • Building activities
  • Arts and crafts
  • Cooking (with your help, of course)
  • Reading
  • Playing board games, charades, Simon Says or Hide and Seek

“I think with COVID-19 it has gone one of two ways: parents are creating more non-screen activities for children to be involved with or children have increased screen time,” Jones said. “While it’s important to limit screen time, it is also important to recognize that sometimes parents need a break too. It’s finding that happy balance that can be challenging.”

Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy at MRH

If you’re looking for a local physical therapist or occupational therapist in Moffat County, our team at Memorial Regional Health can help individuals of all ages get back to doing the things they love and successfully accomplishing everyday tasks.

For more information about our rehabilitation services, call our department at call 970-824-5992. You can also learn more online about our physical therapy capabilities here and occupational therapy here.