Many people have the habit of exercising outdoors every day, but now with the increasing haze weather, let's take a look at whether it is safe to exercise outside during hazy days.
Consider your own condition
Firstly, you should consider your own health condition. If you have lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma, it is not recommended to exercise when the haze is severe.
Check the level of pollution
Secondly, you should check the level of pollution. Nowadays, many mobile apps can provide daily Air Quality Index (AQI) information. When the air quality is good or moderate, it is suitable for everyone to exercise outdoors. When there is mild pollution, friends with respiratory diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, or chronic bronchitis should reduce outdoor activities appropriately or take proper protective measures during exercise. When there is heavy pollution, outdoor activities should be minimized.
Best time for exercise, around 10 a.m.
In addition to seasonal factors such as late autumn, winter, and early spring, the severity of haze is also related to the weather conditions of the day. Factors such as light wind or no wind, abundant and stable ground-level humidity, and the presence of temperature inversion at night and in the early morning can all contribute to severe haze.
Furthermore, due to urban vehicle emissions, the air quality is also poor during the rush hours of commuting.
Contrary to the common belief that the air is fresher in the evening, the air pollution is actually worse in the evening. In comparison, the air quality in the morning is relatively safer than in the early morning and evening.
Therefore, it is recommended to exercise outdoors in the morning and not to exercise in the early morning or at night.
Choose a safe exercise location, ground level is safer than high places
Similarly, contrary to our imagination, the higher the place, the less clean it is - pollution tends to accumulate at higher altitudes. Areas more than 15 meters above the ground level generally have more pollution concentration.
Therefore, exercising on the rooftop of a high-rise building to avoid pollution is not feasible. Exercising on the school playground is a good choice.
Protective measures, wear a sports protective mask
Sports protective masks are designed specifically for outdoor exercise. They maximize the smoothness of breathing without sacrificing filtration efficiency.
Basically, any type of outdoor exercise, such as mountain climbing, jogging, skiing, etc., can be protected by using a sports protective mask.
The protective standards of sports masks vary. Some products meet the strict requirements of European EN149FFP1(S) for solid particulate matter while ensuring that particles larger than 0.3 micrometers (PM 0.3) are blocked.
