Why a Trip to the Sub-Artic Might Be a Good Idea: The Surprising Benefits of Cold Air
I squeezed my frozen toes together as hard as I could to regain feeling and generate heat. Then I looked up. My heart elevated with wonder.
The sky was dancing for me.
Waves of green fire reached across the night sky. A ribbon of light flowed through the atmosphere. It was the Aurora Borealis.
Photographs show an unremarkable stillness to the Northern lights, but it’s not that simple.
The lights swirl, twinkle, burst, reach, ebb, and flow. They are alive with movement.
Though my heart seemed to warm with amazement, the unrelenting bitter cold reminded me I was standing in the middle of a frozen lake in -21 degree Fahrenheit temperature. And it was painful.
No amount of jumping, toe squeezing, and fist-clenching was going to get me warmed up. When I couldn’t stand it anymore, I dashed back onto the tour bus, teeth chattering and all my extremities seemingly on fire (a bizarre paradox).
The cold can do the strangest things to your body. Your feet might be numb and hurting at the same time. At least, that was what I was experiencing, but for some the cold has helped them tremendously.
My Northern Lights tour guide explained that ever since moving to the Sub-Artic his chronic allergies have been greatly reduced. He now lives a life in moderate freedom from allergies and can do what he loves best; chase the Northern Lights.
For him, a return to a warmer climate would surely amount to nothing more than a prison sentence.
I have never enjoyed the cold, much less sub-zero temperatures. I am a “you-can-find-me huddled-next-to-the-heater” person in the winter. I am also always looking to build up my collection of ultra-warm and toasty wool socks.
The cold is uncomfortable for some people, but it also has multiple unexpected benefits.
Cold Air Is Vilified
I am willing to bet you heard your mom tell you to bundle up more than you ever heard her tell you to not get too warm.
She worried the cold might get you sick.
Cold winter months are known to bring out our more cautious side. We vaccinate, are more conscious of handwashing, wear facemasks (especially in the time of Covid-19), and vitamin C and D supplements fly off the shelves.
And for a good reason, too. The cold weather brings a whole host of problems.
We deal with sniffling noses, noses rubbed raw, sore throats, cough, the flu, and of course a hunt for bargain prices on warm clothing articles.
There are also psychological effects. Shorter days and uninspiring weather have us locked inside feeling gloomy and fatigued.
Frozen roads make traveling treacherous, frozen tree branches can be hazardous and bone-chilling temperatures make walking on the sidewalk a dangerous task.
Not to mention the financial toll it takes. Higher heating bills cause even the most devout winter wonderland fans to invoke the first warming breaths of Spring.
It might seem the frigid knives of winter are against us, but it’s not all bad.
Cold winter air can bring us a few health benefits that warm summer breezes just can’t beat.
The Unexpected Benefits of Cold Air
- Weight Loss
Babies are born with brown fat which helps them to stay warm. Brown fat is a calorie-burning substance we eventually lose as we age and reach adulthood. Exposure to cold can help to retain some brown fat cells as adults and can lead to more calorie burning. Additional calories burned during cold winter months can lead to weight loss.
2. Improved Sleep quality
When falling to sleep the body naturally decreases its temperature, but for people who have trouble falling asleep their body temperature does not drop as it should. Research shows that cooler temperatures can give the body a small nudge to go ahead and get some shut-eye.
3. Increased Ability to Fight Infections
Cold temperatures can pump up the infection-fighting warriors of your body. A study showed that when immersed in cold water three times a week for six weeks, young men had higher amounts of adaptive immune cells in their blood. Their immune systems had been activated by simply being exposed to the cold.
4. Decreased Inflammation
Commercials show big-time athletes slip into invigorating ice baths to reduce inflammation and if you’ve ever experienced a bump or sprain, icing it is usually recommended. Winter cold can be thought of as one giant ice pack. The cold envelopes and reduces swelling in the body. Even better is swelling in the skin can be reduced to give you a revitalized look.
5. Improved Heart Function
Winter is a great time to give your heart some love. Doing cardio is a good way to stay heart-healthy, but doing cardio in Winter is even better because your heart has to work harder to keep you warm. However, exercise caution if you have heart problems because cold weather can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke
6. Improved Brain Function
You might find that gray gloomy days are not so bad when you know cold weather actually improves your ability to think more clearly. Studies show warm temperatures hinder our ability to think better while cooler temperatures prime our brain for creativity and decision making.
Cold Kickstarts the System
Perspective is everything. After a night spent at -21 degrees Fahrenheit watching the Northern lights, walking in -7 degree sunshine the next morning felt heavenly.
Most of my time in the Sub-Artic I had my mouth covered because the air seemed to make my throat tighten and the hair in my nostrils quickly froze. It was a stiff uncomfortable experience.
But at -7 degrees breathing was more manageable.
Oddly enough, I felt good. It was like the cold kickstarted my body and shocked me to a better feeling of well-being.
The same can be said of my Aurora chasing friend. Warmer climates had him constantly battling against chronic allergies, but in the colder temperatures, he found relief and felt better than ever. And he’s not alone, the cold has been shown to reduce allergies.
Although I am more of a tropical beach-loving person, I won’t be so hesitant to pack my parka and hand warmers and head to the Sub-Artic anymore.
If the Aurora Borealis isn’t captivating enough already, a few moments in the fresh cold air might actually be good for me.
