But there is a more important reason not to slack off during the winter. There are 53 percent more heart attacks in the cold months than there are in the summer, according to a study published in the May 1998 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. It may be that wintertime depression, more cases of flu and pneumonia, and exertion in the cold combine to produce this dramatically higher rate, according to the report. In the cold weather, the arteries in the heart constrict and blood pressure rises, which can touch off a heart attack, especially in the elderly and those with heart disease, he says. Dr. McFarland's comment about emotional health is also well-taken.
Most people know there's a connection between fitness and physical health.
But fitness is also critical to emotional health. Evidence shows that exercise reduces anxiety and depression, both of which are more problematic as the crush of holiday merrymaking collides with the gloom of winter. Finally, if you can't think of a better reason to stay in shape during the winter, think of spring. Tendinitis and stress fractures are the most common injuries for people who try to pick up where they left off after a winter with no exercise, he says. So to head off springtime injuries, keep on your toes this winter.