Written by:
KRISTIN GUDERIAN, PT, DPT
Kristin can be reached at kristin@apexptwellness.com.
Keep the air coming into your lungs warm by covering your nose and mouth with a scarf, neck gaiter, or mask.
Breathe in through your nose. Nasal breathing helps warm cold, dry air before it enters the lungs.
Ease the transition from the indoor to outdoor environment by doing a light indoor warm-up before performing outdoor activities. The reverse is true as well, allow your breathing to return to normal before returning indoors after being active outdoors.
Avoid setting your thermostat too high. A warmer indoor environment leads to more drastic adaptation when transitioning to the outdoors.
If you suffer from respiratory disease, make sure you have your prescribed medication readily available when spending time outdoors.
Lastly, exercise indoors or decrease the intensity of outdoor exercise when temperatures drop.
It’s important for our mental and physical health to get outside and get fresh air even in the winter. Just as we protect our skin from frost bite, we should be protecting our airways from the cold.
References
Milanowski, A. (2021, August 27). How Cold Weather Can Spell Trouble for Your Heart and Lungs. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-cold-weather-can-spell-trouble-for-your-heart-and-lungs/
D’Amato, M., Molino, A., Calabrese, G., Cecchi, L., Annesi-Maesano, I., & D’Amato, G. (2018). The impact of cold on the respiratory tract and its consequences to respiratory health. Clinical and Translational Allergy, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13601-018-0208-9
