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Exercise is essential for our health. It lowers the risk of heart disease, helps us to maintain a healthy weight, and reduces stress. Doctors say that exercising in cold weather is good for us. Going for a jog or a swim when it's chilly outside has extra benefits for our physical and mental health. This is because the cold gives our heart a more energetic workout. A doctor from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York explained why. She said: "Your heart has to work a little bit harder to pump blood around your body…in the cold. This can help to boost your endurance over time."
The doctor said the body burns calories faster when it is cold. She said your body works harder to maintain its temperature, so you use up more calories by exercising in the cold. Physical activity in cold temperatures boosts our metabolism, which helps us lose weight. In the cold, our metabolism slows down, so we can preserve fat and keep warm. Another benefit of exercising in the cold is that being in natural light helps to reduce our stress. Many people have Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). This is a type of depression caused by the short, dark days of winter.
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