Should we embrace the cold?

Chicago - The coldest air of the season so far arrived with gusty winds early Wednesday.  Wind chills dipped below zero early in the day and will probably remain near or below zero through at least early Friday.  This is the coldest outbreak in nearly a year.  The last time we were this cold was back in the middle of February 2021.  The worst combination of temperatures and wind could come Friday morning when wind chills plunge to around 5 to 15 below zero.

Since we can't change it, should we embrace this bone-chilling weather?  Science says yes.  There are actually quit a few benefits to cold weather for our health.

Here is a list of some of the benefits of cold weather according to Maryland Primary Care Physicians:

• Fewer allergies: Plants don’t make pollen in the winter, so we allergy sufferers generally feel better in cold weather.
• Less bug-borne disease: Pesky insects like mosquitoes and ticks are in short supply in cold weather, greatly reducing our risk of catching the nasty diseases they may carry, such as West Nile virus, Lyme disease and Zika virus.
• Reduced inflammation: Similar to putting ice on an injury, cold weather can reduce inflammation and pain. One study found that runners exposed to cold temperatures recovered faster from workouts. This suggests that exercising in winter may result in less inflammation and soreness than in the summer.
• Improved brain function: There’s evidence suggesting our brains work better at cooler temperatures. One study found that 62 degrees was the best for schoolchildren to learn, and other research found that people study better when the weather is cold.
• Increased fat burn: Besides your body using more calories to stay warm, research suggests being cold can increase your ability to burn fat. It may trigger "brown fat" in the body, a good fat that can burn off other "white" fat. Also, exercising in cold weather boosts your body’s energy expenditure for hours afterwards, so you end up burning more calories.
• Better emotional health: We’re less likely to be out and about in cold weather, causing us to spend more time with family and friends. Social interactions like these have been shown to reduce stress, making us more relaxed and happier. Also, if you experience seasonal depression – known as the "winter blues" ─ your doctor may recommend a vitamin D supplement to boost your mood and keep your emotions on an even keel.

Wired magazine recently published an article about titled "Could Being Cold Actually Be Good For You?"  The conclusion of the article was yes, it can.  They cited a study from the New England Journal Of Medicine on how our bodies produce "brown fat" when exposed to enough cold.  According to the article "its activity replaces shivering as the body’s go-to heat factory".  The study found this could help reduce shivering.   A diabetes researcher from Maastricht University in the Netherlands studied the effects of cold weather on people and says it can be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.  After subjecting participants in his study to enough cold to put them "on the edge of shivering" for ten days, he found "their sensitivity to insulin, a key hormone in controlling blood glucose, improved by 43 percent on average—a boost comparable to the effect of a 12-week workout program."

Keep these cold weather benefits in mind because we have another round of Arctic air headed our way next week.  We bounce back to about average this weekend but temperatures tumble again early next week.  Highs Monday and Tuesday will not get any warmer than the middle to upper teens.