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Why Cold Weather is Good for You
According to the Philippine Atmospheric and Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), our climate is defined by relatively high temperatures, high humidity and abundant rainfall. However, even if high temperatures and high humidity are dominant in most parts of the country, cool weather can still be experienced in some places.
The City of Pines, Baguio City, is one of the coldest cities in the Philippines. In fact, Baguio City hit an ultimate low of 7.3 degrees Celsius last February 15, 2017. Aside from the tourist spots the city offers, remember to enjoy its cool weather, especially since it has these literally cool benefits:
It makes you fall asleep quickly.
For some people, temperature plays an important role in the onset of sleep. Research says that the cooler the surroundings, the faster a person falls asleep. This is because the cold temperature supports the body’s natural deep sleep process. The ideal room temperature to sleep in is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on personal preferences, clothing, and beddings.
It helps you enjoy a better night’s sleep.
In a Huffington Post article, Professor Michael Decker, Ph.D., spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, discusses temperature and rest. “As we sleep, our body acclimates to the room temperature,” he says. ” If we lower our body temperature a little bit in a cooler room, we tend to sleep better.” In addition, Dr. Christopher Winter went into more detail in another article, saying that the sleep cycle is typically initiated when our core body temperatures drop, and that people with higher internal temperatures (like athletes) may have trouble sleeping when the room is not cool enough to allow this to occur.
It helps you look younger.
Sleeping in cooler temperatures allows your body to release more melatonin, one of our best anti-aging hormones.
It makes your skin glow.
A Harvard Health Letter from 2010 includes the following interesting info: “… moderately cold temperatures could be good for the vasculature because it trains blood vessels in the skin to be responsive.” This means glowing and pinkish skin during cool weather.
It decreases your risk for diabetes.
In a study conducted in the course of four months, it was determined that sleeping in a 66-degrees Fahrenheit room burned more calories, and also increased the amount of “brown fat” (or good fat) in the body. Brown fat allows your body to burn calories, not store them. Over time, this dual-benefit of cold weather could help lower the risk for metabolic diseases like diabetes.
References:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosie-osmun/sleeping-with-the-seasons-see-how-weather-influences-your-sleep_b_7269960.html
http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/blogs/how-cold-weather-is-good-for-you
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/19/health/your-brain-on-winter
-By PanahonTV Intern Jenny Grace Fernandez
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