Braving rainfall means you'll very likely be walking on your own. A good downpour provides for some peaceful, quiet time to yourself.
Wet weather brings with it raindrops that have fallen through the atmosphere, and absorbed thousands of microscopic aerosol particles while doing so, things like sulphates, soot, and dust. These and other pollutants are naturally removed from the air.
Did you know that bad weather is good for your health? No, seriously! In fact, according to the experts, going out in the cold and wet is highly beneficial to our immunity and general health.
Taking an after-supper stroll at any time of the year is always a good idea. Steeping out after a meal controls blood sugar levels and helps shunt food smoothly through the gut. But why do this in the rain after dark?
All these factors conspire to make the scent of rain truly appealing (calming, even). In fact, the petrichor scent soothes the mind and body.
Furthermore, rain can help clear the mind, helping you refocus on your thoughts and lower stress levels.
And like white noise, rain acts like an audio blanket, masking disruptive sounds in the environment. In fact, some people are known to sleep better when it's raining.
Petrichor is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. It's especially intense following a warm, dry period.
Not everyone likes to walk in the rain. But therein lies another advantage of striding out in bad weather—the chance to enjoy some solitude.
Don't underestimate the healing benefits the sound of rain can bring. Rainfall serves as a kind of "white noise," which means it's consistent and uniform.
Kids benefit especially well by taking a muddy walk in the rain. Their immune systems receive a boost because the experience helps them develop more diverse microbiomes, according to a report posted by Science Advances.
Living and working in a city environment can oftentimes be stressful and overwhelming. But cities are often at their most walkable in winter, when wind disperses pollution and rain washes the air of dirt, dust, and harmful microbes.
Cold exposure also boosts dopamine release. But, again, what does this mean?
And as previously outlined, rainfall can disperse people. Cities empty quickly during a downpour, which means you'll quite often have a usually busy sidewalk all to yourself.
Country walking in wet weather has its own unique benefits. And if it means traipsing through mud, so much the better!
So much for wet weather. But how can exposure to cold be of any benefit? Well, you'd be surprised.
Your body works harder when it's cold. And being exposed to cold environments activates brown fat in the body. Brown fat has an insatiable appetite for dangerous artery-clogging white fat.
Walking in the rain, for example, can be good for your health largely because of the improved air quality it offers.
This pleasant fragrance emerges from a combination of chemicals released from good bacteria that live in the soil, and oils released from certain plants. Even lightning plays a role, the bolts releasing an agreeable-smelling ozone mix after a thunderstorm.
Bet you didn't know that a walk in bad weather can improve sleep quality. It's been scientifically proven that spending time in nature resets our circadian rhythm. This in turn improves sleep quality. But doing so in the rain has the added benefit of lowering stress while inhaling that super scent known as petrichor.
How good does rain smell? It's quite intoxicating, and there's a special name for this unique fragrance: petrichor.
Brown fat also burns off white fat to generate heat. A quick walk in nippy conditions with your coat undone at the collar and without a scarf can get the brown fat ball rolling.
Rain can stop you overheating during physical activity, when jogging for example. It serves as a natural coolant so you're able to exercise for longer and faster.
According to a study by Japanese scientists and posted by the National Library of Medicine, running in cold conditions causes energy demand to increase. Engaging in physical activity when it's cold and wet can therefore burn more calories and fat than if you were to do the same thing in warm, dry conditions.
Yep, even mud can boost your health. Mud is rich in mood-enhancing microbes. Again, it's all about natural green space exposure and the petrichor effect.
Did you know that cold exposure activates brown fat and dopamine? But what does this mean, exactly?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in pleasure, movement, motivation, and learning. Dopamine can be released for up to four hours during and after exposure to cold weather.
If walking in the rain during the day is enough to put some people off, what about doing so at night? Is there any benefit to health in going for an evening stroll in wintery conditions? Well, actually, there is.
Quite simply it's because dim evening light prompts our body to start making sleep-inducing melatonin. And for all the reasons already outlined, rainfall is a great leveler, not least because of its ability to calm us down.
Sources: (Verywell Health) (The Guardian) (National Library of Medicine) (BBC) (Psychologies) (Science Advances) (Sleep Cycle)
Did you know that bad weather is good for you? More so if it's cold and raining. How can this be so, though? After all, dashing out in the rain runs you the risk of catching a chill or worse. But while wrapping up warm is an obvious precaution, venturing outside during a downpour or in nippy conditions actually has a number of health benefits.
What are these, and how do they affect body and soul? Click through and find out why walking in damp, wintery conditions can actually boost your well-being.
Why bad weather is good for you
The benefits of being cold and wet
HEALTH Society
Did you know that bad weather is good for you? More so if it's cold and raining. How can this be so, though? After all, dashing out in the rain runs you the risk of catching a chill or worse. But while wrapping up warm is an obvious precaution, venturing outside during a downpour or in nippy conditions actually has a number of health benefits.
What are these, and how do they affect body and soul? Click through and find out why walking in damp, wintery conditions can actually boost your well-being.