It is commonly believed that ‘winter’ is the best time to exercise. The winter season is at its peak in all the countries in the subcontinent, including the northern part, and some areas have gone frozen due to snowfall.
According to popular belief, many people prefer physical activities during this season, including working out, running, and playing other outdoor and indoor sports. But nowadays there are reports of people dying due to heart related problems while exercising or just walking or playing cricket.
A study posted on the US government’s National Library of Medicine website found that heart disease and death are higher in the winter than in the summer.
So in such a situation the question is, is it really more beneficial to exercise in winter? Or does exercising or jogging in winter increase the risk of heart attack?
Cold weather and cardiovascular changes
Dr. Sukumar Mehta, a well-known heart specialist surgeon from Gujarat, explains the condition of the heart in the winter season and says, “In severe cold, the arteries of our body become narrow.” This change is very important and needs to be taken care of during exercise.
In a Times of India report, cardiologist and Max Hospital cardiologist Dr. Chandrasekhar explains about the effects of cold on our heart: ‘The cold season puts more stress on our heart. Because the heart has to work harder to keep the body warm.
Mayank Thakur, a critical care specialist at Giriraj Hospital in Rajkot, echoed Dr Mehta’s point, saying, “The cold weather usually causes the heart vessels (arteries) to constrict. This weather also causes narrowing of the vessels that carry blood to the heart.
After learning about the winter season and the changes in the heart arteries during it, BBC Gujarati has tried to find out the relationship between exercise, walking or jogging in this season and heart attacks.
Explaining this, Dr Mehta says: ‘It’s not that exercising in winter is more beneficial. Exercising in any season is just as beneficial as in winter.
Similarly, Dr. Thakur also said that ‘exercise in winter or summer is generally not harmful. But before starting exercise, some precautions need to be taken.
What should be considered while exercising?
Dr. Thakur says: “As mentioned earlier, the arteries of the heart become constricted in the cold. When the arteries of the heart are filled with fat, naturally the blood flow through the arteries is already narrowed.
In such a situation, when the tube shrinks more due to winter, the passage becomes even shorter. This increases the risk of heart attack in winter.
About exercise and its effects on the body, he says: ‘Activities like exercise, walking, aerobics and yoga can be done more easily in the cold because the body is full of energy and strength. Normally when you exercise, the body produces heat. which helps reduce the narrowing of your arteries.’
Therefore, it cannot be said that exercising in the cold increases the risk of heart attack. Rather, exercise has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart attack.
Dr Thakur adds: ‘This does not mean that there is no need to be careful when starting exercise. Before starting exercise or playing any sport, you should get your health checked once. And exercise should be done within limits according to your report and doctor’s advice.
Exercise caution
Dr. Mehta also agrees with this. He says: ‘Whether you exercise in winter or summer, it’s important to get a medical opinion from time to time. So that a man knows whether he himself is fit for exercise or not.
If one knows about fitness, one can decide what type and intensity of exercise is necessary. So that no unpleasant health incident happens to us.
According to Dr Chandrasekhar: ‘People with pre-existing heart problems are especially at risk in winter. So it is very important to take care of some things while exercising in winter. For example, it is important to exercise in warm clothes and do a proper warm-up before starting exercise.
Also, talking about other factors responsible for sudden cardiac arrest or death while exercising or playing sports today, Dr. Mayank Thakur says: ‘Nowadays many people exercise without understanding their bodies. Games begin to be played due to which such incidents take place. Apart from this, exercising without proper rest and warm-up also increases the possibility of sudden stress on the heart, which can result in such cases.