Whether it’s ice skating, indoor swimming, jogging or even cycling. Sport in winter is a huge investment. For your well-being, your body and your social life.
Riedlingen/Germany, January 6, 2025 Especially after the Christmas period, when there were often cosy hours, it is often difficult to get out into the cold, rain and fresh air to do sports until you sweat through. However, the motivation gap has some interesting advantages and can have a motivating effect with this knowledge.
Clear head and strong defences
A motivation gap can help the body to regenerate. Depending on the time before the possible Christmas stress. The motivational hole itself can therefore also be a clear indication from the body that the recovery is doing it good, has done it good. Under certain circumstances, motivation can also be boosted by new equipment. A purchase, new shoes or other items of clothing. Thoughts beforehand about how it will feel afterwards are also motivators. If you also know how good the effect is during and after a workout and you benefit from it when you come back into the warmth, take a warm shower or a pleasant relaxing bath and then snuggle up warmly later, then your body regenerates and releases new energy.
Once you get moving, you will benefit from the many positive effects of sport in winter. It strengthens your defences, burns calories and clears your head. To name just a few examples.
But what is less obvious is that sport also makes you more social. Dr Angela Teichert knows how this is connected and when it gets too cold to go jogging. The sports mentor is a professor of social work at SRH Fernhochschule and a real sports fan herself.
What sport has in common with social work
When asked about the bridge between social work and regular exercise, she says enthusiastically: ‘Sport is a very important tool in social work. As a low-threshold approach, it connects people with each other and opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. Sport gets people into action and that is a very important step. Sports social workers, for example, utilise this effect. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what your social background is. Sport is for everyone.’
Mood lifter in the dark season
Sport would also be a very good way of integrating, would boost motivation and is particularly important in the darker months of the year, because physical activity brings joie de vivre, puts you in a good mood and acts as a real mood booster. Not only is Teichert convinced of this, but these effects have also been proven by numerous studies. In 2012, for example, a report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) found that physical training can have a similar effect on depression as drug therapy.
Pulmonary alveoli, sub-zero temperatures, warm-up training: what to bear in mind when exercising in winter
Every sporting activity starts with motivation. To get this, good equipment is not a bad idea. Warm and good running shoes are an investment you should make. After all, they give your feet stability and reduce the risk of slipping, twisting your ankle or injuring yourself. And they don’t just have to be functional, they should also look really good. After all, you want to lace them up often and with pleasure.
At temperatures around 0 degrees, you should wear a thin hat or headband. This will keep your ears warm and keep the temperature from escaping through your head. The good old onion principle also applies to clothing. Several layers insulate body heat better than a single thick layer of clothing. And thin gloves are recommended for the start. It takes some time for the body to reach operating temperature and produce enough heat to reach the fingertips. And you don’t have to spend that time with the horrible feeling of half-dead fingers. Then take a good drink of water before you start, because you’ll sweat even in sub-zero temperatures and off you go!
Jogging and sport in winter have these positive effects on body and mind
When it’s cold, the blood vessels constrict and the heart has to work harder to pump enough blood around the body. Sounds scary, but it has a fantastic training effect. An athlete’s heart is around a third larger than an untrained one and this has the advantage that it can pump a lot more blood through the veins in the same amount of time and, as we know, this is used to transport oxygen. And a better oxygen supply leads to better performance.
Feeling for your own body
Despite all these insights and positive effects, the following always applies: listening to your own body is essential. The aim is not to win any competitions, but to stay on the ball and have fun. Because continuity is more important than speed. If you manage to get moving regularly, you strengthen your defences. A little bonus in the cold: to maintain the temperature, the body burns around 15 per cent more calories than in warmer months. In technical jargon, this helpful side effect is called thermogenesis.
The fun stops at -10 degrees
There is no specific temperature above which you can say: Now it’s too cold to run. For many people, this point is reached at -5 degrees. Others are more sensitive and find it harder to breathe even at temperatures below zero. If a thin loop over your mouth and nose doesn’t help, it’s better to wait until it gets a little milder. Go ice skating at the rink, arrange to meet up with friends at the swimming pool or book a Zumba class. There are plenty of options.
At -10 degrees, however, recreational athletes really shouldn’t go running. The pulmonary alveoli could be damaged and there is a risk of frostbite during longer runs. No amount of sportiness will help. However, brisk walks are permitted.
Combining social life and sport to stay motivated
Anyone who is still not convinced after all these warm words may need a final nudge of motivation from Prof Dr Teichert. She advises: ‘If you can now overcome your inner weaker self, you will boost your self-confidence. Get functional clothing, integrate routines and plan to do sport several times a week so that it becomes a habit. Arrange to meet up with friends, colleagues or family members to exercise together. This increases the inhibition threshold for cancelling at short notice and strengthens the social fabric. Cross-country skiing, ski touring, walking… there MUST be something you enjoy. And any exercise is better than none. Sport is always worthwhile. For good relationships, your immune system, your health and your soul.’
Translated with DeepL_com
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Sport in winter is a great idea. If you follow a few tips, your body and mind will benefit from exercise in the very fresh air. It is particularly beautiful in such a winter wonderland.
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