Gundersen Lutheran provider stresses the importance of staying active during winter months

Dr. Coppola

It took a while, but winter has finally arrived, but that doesn't mean you have to hibernate until spring. In fact, according to Gundersen Lutheran – Decorah Clinic physician Tony Coppola, DO, it is important to stay physically active year round.  

"A recent study of 50 year old men and women shows that those who had higher levels of physical activity  generally lived one to three years longer than those who are less active," Dr. Coppola explains. "While these numbers can vary in different circumstances, the study shows that exercise does provide what we call in the medical field a "mortality benefit."

According to Dr. Coppola, exercise also lessens your risk of heart disease, can help in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and has shown to have protective effects against cancer. "The list of the benefits of exercise is endless," says Dr. Coppola. "In the winter you sometimes just need to be a little more creative in finding an activity that is best for you."

"I think the people of this community are at a huge advantage when it comes to staying active during the cold months," comments Dr. Coppola. "We live in a beautiful landscape with nice hills and generally tolerable weather most of the time. There are areas to go cross country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, skating, hiking and running. Even just shoveling the snow or taking the kids outside to have a snowball fight or build a snow fort is good winter activities."

For those who don't like to or can't be outdoors during the winter, Dr. Coppola says there are ways to stay active indoors too. "There are fitness centers in the area you can join or even just riding your exercise bike or doing aerobic exercises in your home can give you the activity you need a week," says Dr. Coppola.

The most important thing to remember when trying to stay physically active is that the perfect exercise prescription will be different for different people. Dr. Coppola says that even small increases in physical activity can lead to some health benefits. For healthy adults, the ideal goal is at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise a week.

"I think for most people the real challenge is just committing the time and effort to be more active. If you have concerns, you should talk with your doctor to ensure you're healthy enough for your activity l of choice," suggests Dr. Coppola. "Make every effort to pick activities that are enjoyable, affordable and practical so it is easier for you to stick with it."