Wildfire Smoke and Exercise: To run or not to run?

By Patricia Azike 

As someone who enjoys taking long walks and prefers running on hard concrete to treadmills, I do the most in the fall. This isn’t to say I don’t stay active during the other seasons. Au contraire, I recently bought a portable treadmill to deal with the challenges of exercising in harsh weather. However, there’s something special about those warm, breezy fall days that beckon for outdoor exercise. Unfortunately, for millions living in areas prone to wildfires, those beautiful days sometimes come with an unexpected hazard — wildfire smoke.

A recent study by researchers at the University of the Fraser Valley highlighted a significant and alarming impact that wildfire smoke has on physical activity and mental well-being from the responses of 348 individuals who participated in a questionnaire. The lead author, Luisa Giles, drew inspiration for this study from her own experiences during wildfire events. “I noticed how I felt—I was trapped indoors, moving less, and struggling with motivation,” Giles shared. “When I spoke to friends, they would often say the same thing: ‘I feel trapped indoors.’” This sparked her curiosity to understand better how people adjust their physical activity during smoky conditions.

The study's participants showed significant reductions in various forms of physical activity during wildfire smoke events. Moderate and vigorous physical activity was 20 to 30 minutes less than usual, and participants who used air quality advisories were more than twice as likely to move physical activities indoors due to poor air quality.

But the effects of wildfire smoke are not confined to our bodies. “What I thought was interesting was the changes in physical activity and symptoms of mental well-being. The changes were inversely related. When people reduced their physical activity on days with smoke, their symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression increased,” Giles remarked.

While much of the research on air pollution has focused on the direct physiological effects, such as lung diseases and heart conditions, the intersection between mental health and environmental factors like wildfire smoke remains underexplored. This study adds crucial information to the body of research, illustrating that the mental health impacts of smoke exposure are just as severe as the physical ones. “When we consider that physical activity improves mental well-being by helping to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, the reduction in physical activity during wildfires creates a double domino effect by decreasing both physical fitness and mental well-being,” Giles adds.

These findings are especially relevant given the growing burden of wildfires caused by climate change. As wildfires continue to affect vast areas of land, the amount of smoke in the atmosphere will likely increase, placing an even greater strain on public health.

So, what can be done to mitigate the effects of wildfire smoke on public health? Giles says, “We need to encourage people to stay active.” “However, it is important for people, particularly those with preexisting health conditions, to speak with their health professionals about any risks during smoke periods.”

Another crucial step, according to Giles, is professionals trained in exercise science. “We need professionals in exercise science who understand air pollution. I think they are the window to supporting people. But we need to be mindful that those exercise professionals are certified by rigorous organizations such as the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, the American College of Sports Medicine, or the Canadian or American Kinesiology Associations.”

Beyond smoke advisories, public health campaigns can help educate individuals about how to stay active during these events. “We observed that 60% of the participants used air quality advisories to guide their activities during wildfire smoke events. Is it possible to include resources in the advisories to support physical activities in clean indoor spaces and promote mental well-being?” Giles wonders.

Additionally, “for people who need the benefits of green space, providing free or low-cost N95 masks will allow people to be physically active outdoors while minimizing air pollution exposure.”

Giles also highlights a need to support communities by providing free or low-cost access to clean indoor spaces and recreational facilities. “We need to support equitable access to indoor exercise spaces for all,” she says.

Reference

Giles, L. V., Thomson, C. J., Lesser, I., & Brandenburg, J. P. (2024). Running through the haze: how wildfire smoke affects physical activity and mental well-being. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 1(aop), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0305

About the Author: Patricia is a computational Ph.D. student researching wildfire smoke transport modeling and an aspiring science communicator. Passionate about disaster modeling and air quality, she draws inspiration from her childhood moments watching National Geographic to raise awareness of the various angles of disasters like wildfires through storytelling and promote resilience. Connect with her on the FireUp community platform to learn more!