Why Spending Time in the Cold Is Really Good for Your Health—and Friendships

Supported by Science

If you live in a place where winter is synonymous with extreme cold (looking at you, East Coasters), you probably have very chilly memories of November through March 2021. Yes, those were the Peak Pandemic winter months. Aka that period of time when we had to hang out in 30-degree temperatures just to see our friends. When we ordered our dinners with a side of space heater. When we drank our cocktails with mittens on. When we went for frigid neighborhood walks with tumblers of mulled red wine.

Can I just say that I…kind of miss those old times? Of course I do not miss the actual Covid part. It was a terribly sad time for the world, and I (obviously) do not wish to relive that tragedy. But I do miss the hanging outside in winter part. I’m not much of a skier or a winter sports enthusiast in general, so for me, those *extremely frigid* get-togethers were fairly novel. I felt a little cold, but I also felt good. Invigorated. Alive. And now that I’m back to my cozy-on-the-couch ways, I miss those feelings. I want to experience them once again—and experts say that’s a really good idea. Not just for me, but for all of us.

“While many people tend to have a reluctance toward spending time outside in winter, embracing the cold is actually incredibly beneficial for both your mind and your body—especially when you’re doing so with your loved ones,” says Arkansas-based psychologist Dana Klisanin, PhD, who founded the ReWilding: Lab, an initiative that promotes nature’s therapeutic and healing benefits.

For starters, countless studies show that cold weather can actually help sharpen your focus. “Cold exposure stimulates the hormone and neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which ultimately boosts mental clarity,” explains Dr. Klisanin. What’s more, getting outside can also help lift your mood, which is especially important to help curb those winter blues. “The sun’s UV rays stimulate the production of Vitamin D, which may help boost your mood by increasing your levels of serotonin, a hormone that helps regulate mood and happiness,” explains Lixing Sun, PhD, an evolutionary biology professor at Central Washington University who studies the connection between human behavior and nature.

Perhaps most important of all, leaving the warmth of your home to head out into the Great (albeit cold) Outdoors can simply make you feel more alive. Think about it: Outdoor environments are in a constant state of change, especially in the winter…from the wind to the snow to the crisp air and more. And that ever-changing setting—what Dr. Sun calls a “complex environment”—can make you feel more curious than you would if you stayed indoors and looked at your same walls. “Complex environments tend to make people feel more curious and new and stimulated and inspired,” he says. “And that tendency to not be boring—that range of psychological and spiritual effects—should not be downplayed by any means.” If you happen to be outside with your loved ones to boot? That’s just icing on the (already icy) cake, confirms Dr. Sun. “After all, there are two connections that are absolutely essential for humans: the connection to each other and the connection to nature. Socializing outside takes care of both—a true double positive.”

So how can you go about organizing outdoor get-togethers this year when Covid isn’t around to make it sort of inevitable? The key is to adopt a Norwegian state of mind. Back in 2021, I published a book, Destination Wellness, about genuine well-being philosophies around the world that have stood the test of time. One of them was the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv, which translates to “the fresh air life” and is all about the Norwegians’ dedication to living as much of their lives outside as humanly possible. Nevermind that Norway gets tons of rain every year, or that the sun hardly rises for three months in certain areas of the country—Norwegians are still devoted to getting outside no matter what. I interviewed countless Norwegians on my reporting trip, and they all told me that being outside is what makes them feel the most alive. The most present. The most free. Nothing—not even bad weather—can change that.

“You’ve probably heard it before, but there is an old Nordic sensibility: ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing,’” says Terry Hartig, PhD, a professor of environmental psychology at Uppsala University in Sweden who studies the health benefits of nature. “People don’t have to freeze when it’s cold outdoors. In fact, being active with others may engender emotional warmth as well as physical warmth. The presence of the other may even distract somewhat from marginal feelings of chill.”

To weave this philosophy into your own life this winter, start by investing in proper warm gear if you don’t have it already: a warm coat, good rain and snow boots, waterproof gloves, the works. And encourage your friends and family to do the same. When I was in Norway, it started raining one afternoon when I was at a picnic with my new Norwegian friends, and I assumed that meant we’d pack it all up and head back inside. But instead, everyone in the group busted out their rain pants without even talking about it, and the picnic continued. Going indoors was never on the table. We still had a great time hanging out at the lake in the rain, and that’s the vibe I want to bring back this winter: As long as you have the right gear, the invigoration will follow. (After all, while other people may indeed distract you from the cold like Dr. Hartig says, you can never be too careful.)

Another way to embrace the friluftsliv mentality with your community? Create outdoor winter rituals that amp up the cold-weather appeal. Winter sports like skiing and snowshoeing are an obvious answer here, but you don’t even need to engage in something so formal to get the effect. It’s all about simply embracing the colder temperatures wherever you are. “Bringing a thermos of herbal tea wherever you go, gathering around a bonfire, or pausing to express gratitude for the season can turn cold-weather outings into memorable experiences,” says Dr. Klisanin.

More doable, lighter-lift suggestions: take a brisk walk around your neighborhood with your friends, head out for a hike in the woods or a beach walk if you live near the ocean, hit the ice skating rink (or a frozen pond), accompany your friends to run IRL errands instead of ordering everything online, go stargazing at night, or, yes, recreate those Covid outdoor dining moments and ask your server if you can eat outside…as long as they have space heaters.

In the end, the point is to lean into the frigid temperatures, not away from them. “Nature doesn’t resist winter…it adapts, deepens its roots, and strengthens from within. What if we did the same?” asks Dr. Klisanin. “By embracing the stillness, the crisp air, and the uniqueness of the season, we open ourselves to reflection, resilience, and the joy of simply being present.” Just don’t forget your mittens.