Winter is the official start of cold and flu season. While everybody knows how washing your hands regularly and getting a flu shot helps you ward off illness, keeping healthy during the colder months takes a full commitment to a healthy lifestyle. According to the team at 914 Training Center in Scarsdale, NY, you may be surprised to know that committing yourself to self-defense training offers a combination of benefits that have been shown to reduce one’s chance of coming down with an illness this time of year.

Here are some of the ways that self-defense training can help you knock out cold and flu bugs this winter:

• Keeps You Active: Exercise and good health are intertwined, so it should come as no surprise that moderate workouts have been shown to reduce winter colds. Unfortunately, most people are less active during cold weather months. Self-defense training promotes the type of aerobic workout that strengthens the body’s immune system without having to brave freezing temperatures or spending hours at the gym. Just a couple classes per week can be all you need to boost your immune cell function.
• It Gives You a Sense of Comradery: Socializing with others in a group setting isn’t just good for your mood — it has also been shown to keep you healthy. Whether it is through kickboxing class or MMA training, self-defense classes allow you to interact with individuals with similar interests. These relationships have been shown to lower stress hormones and bolster antibodies responsible for good health.
• Promotes Good Sleep: Lack of sleep is an immune system killer. According to a University of Chicago study, men who only got four hours of sleep produced half the disease-fighting antibodies compared to those who got a full seven to eight hours. Fortunately, routine exercise like the kind self-defense practitioners receive can make it easier to fall and stay asleep — meaning you can ward off maladies more easily. 

If you’re interested in jump-starting your immune system this winter, joining a self-defense gym and training center is a fun and engaging way to promote good health. To learn more about the martial arts and self-defense training classes offered at 914 Training Center, call (914) 437-5353 or visit them online.