How to Exercise Safely as It Gets Colder and Darker (Published 2022) (2024)

As the days shift to become shorter, darker and cooler, I have begun to worry about whether I’ll be able to continue taking daily outdoor walks. My strolls, which I can sometimes only squeeze in during the evening, feel crucial for my mental and physical health, so I don’t want to stop — but I don’t want to take undue risks, either.

Is it safe to exercise when it’s dark out? How cold is too cold? I interviewed two sports medicine physicians and an exercise scientist, all of whom are also outdoor exercise enthusiasts, to get their thoughts. The good news: Yes, you can continue exercising outdoors when the weather grows chilly — to a point.

“We bike all winter long, and we bike in the dark and the cold,” said Dr. Tom Fleeter, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine doctor based in Virginia, referring to himself and his wife. But there are extra steps you should take to stay safe from the elements, oncoming traffic and other threats that ramp up in the fall and winter months.

See and be seen.

This may sound obvious, but it’s crucial to be able to see where you’re going and to ensure that others see you. “Just last week, I took care of a nurse who had broken her ankle jogging at five o’clock in the morning before it was light out,” Dr. Fleeter said. She was running in a dark area, couldn’t see well and fell, he said.

If you’re outdoors when it’s dark, Dr. Fleeter recommended wearing a headlamp. Or you can use a hand-held flashlight or attach small lights to your shoes, suggested Dr. Elan Goldwaser, a primary care sports medicine physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Keep in mind, though, that your visibility will still be limited because your light will cast shadows behind the obstacles you encounter. “You’ll see the branch, but you really won’t be able to see what’s behind it until you get to it,” Dr. Goldwaser explained.

If you are exercising on a street, it’s also important that vehicles can see you, said Sara Terrell, an exercise scientist at Florida Southern College. Consider wearing neon colors — not black or navy blue — as well as reflective items that shine when headlights hit them. (One budget option: Stick strips of reflective tape on your clothes, Dr. Terrell said.) Consider placing reflective items on parts of your body that move a lot — perhaps your ankles or arms — to indicate to drivers that you’re moving, which will make them more cautious, she said.