The cold is no excuse to hibernate.

Here’s why you should get going and enjoy the great outdoors.

Up the Exercise. If you are active outdoors the rest of the year but take winter “off” you are missing out. This is because the cold weather makes your body work harder to warm itself so activities such as walking, running, hiking and even biking (love those winter bikes) burn more calories this time of year. Be mindful that your heart will be working harder to accomplish this, which leads to great cardio but is important to note if you have any medical conditions.

Boost Your Immune System. Instead of cooping yourself and your family up inside away from the cold, do the opposite. Stale air indoors traps germs in with your family and allows colds to spread. So bundle up, get outside and enjoy the fresh air. The fresh air and exercise you get from being active outdoors will give your immune system a nice boost.

Better Sleep. The cold, grey days of winter can leave you feeling exhausted before the day even begins. But lazing around, going straight from work or school to cozy up at home isn’t going to help you get a good night’s sleep. Regular exercise and getting outside in nature will boost your energy levels during the day and lead to better sleep at night.

Creativity and Focus. Need some inspiration? Can’t concentrate on the task at hand? Get walking! One study found that simply going for a walk increased 81 percent of participants’ creativity, but going for a walk outside in nature produced the highest quality and most unique ideas. Walking in nature has also been found to create a meditative state, lowering levels of stress and providing clarity. And these benefits occur no matter what the temperature reads.

For Fun.  When was the last time you built a snowman, snow fort or made snow angels? How about a snowball fight? Maybe get a game of road hockey going. These things keep us young at heart, give us and those around us a genuine laugh, and they are fun! What better way to get rid of stress, get some exercise, and just feel good.