During exercise your breathing rate rises, you take bigger breaths and you shift from nose to mouth breathing. That's great for oxygen delivery but if the air you're breathing is polluted, you also inhale more of whatever's in the air like fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃) and other nasties. Scientists agree on two clear things: breathing polluted air harms lungs, heart and blood vessels and exercising increases intake of those pollutants. While walking at rest you breathe maybe 8–12 litres a minute, during a run that can jump manyfold. More air in means more pollutant particles and gases into the lungs. Keep reading as we share a list of simple rules to follow when working out outdoors and common mistakes you might be making.
Simple rules before you step out
- Check the AQI for your area. Aim to avoid moderate-to-severe AQI days for long, high-intensity outdoor sessions. If AQI is “Good” or “Satisfactory”, go for it.
- Prefer early mornings or late evenings when traffic is lower but in winter inversion conditions that can be worse so check local patterns.
- Choose parks/green corridors over roadsides. Air near busy roads has much higher pollutant concentrations.
- If you have asthma, heart disease or are pregnant, favour indoor clean-air options on bad-AQI days.
Are you making these mistakes when exercising outdoors in high AQI?
1. Ignoring the AQI and going out for a hard run anyway
High breathing rate amplifies pollutant intake. On high-AQI days, intense workouts increase short-term heart and lung strain according to studies. Move the session indoors or reduce intensity to a brisk walk or light jog.
2. Training on busy roads
Roadside air has spikes of traffic pollution (NO₂, ultrafine particles). Pick parks, backstreets or elevated paths away from traffic.
3. Doing long-duration HIIT when AQI is high
Dose (concentration × time) matters, long sessions mean larger cumulative exposure. Shorten sessions or split training across multiple cleaner-air times.
4. Assuming masks stop all harm
Even good masks don't eliminate gases (ozone, NO₂) and most people don't wear masks correctly during heavy exertion. Use N95/FFP2 for light–moderate activity on bad days, but prefer moving indoors for high-intensity workouts.
5. Not tailoring training for vulnerable members
Groups of kids, older adults and people with asthma/CVD have higher risk from pollution exposure. Provide alternatives like indoor sessions, lower intensity, or postpone to clean-air days.
6. Exercising in smoggy winters without adjusting recovery and nutrition
Pollution increases oxidative stress and recovery needs more attention. Emphasise antioxidant-rich foods, sleep, and reduce training load on polluted days.
7. Thinking short exposure is harmless
Even short bursts of high pollution can trigger symptoms like wheeze, chest tightness and affect heart rhythm in some. If you feel symptoms, stop and seek cleaner air; get medical advice if persistent.
8. Never checking local pollution trends
AQI varies like rush hour and winter inversions often worsen it. Learn your city's patterns and schedule harder sessions in cleaner windows.
9. Assuming “exercise benefits always outweigh pollution risks”
Many studies show exercise still reduces mortality overall, but pollution can reduce some benefits and increase risks for susceptible people. The right approach is balanced: keep exercising but adapt to pollution levels.
10. Mouth-breathing for long intervals without a mask
Mouth breathing bypasses nasal filtration so you get more particles deep into lungs. If AQI is only mildly elevated, try to nasal-breathe; for very poor AQI consider N95/KN95 when not doing maximal effort.
Final practical checklist
- Check AQI → if “Moderate” cut intensity; if “Unhealthy” or worse, move indoors.
- Avoid roads; choose green spaces.
- Shorten sessions and rest more on polluted days.
- Vulnerable people: always prefer cleaner-air options.
- Consider N95/KN95 for light outdoor movement on bad days but not for heavy exertion.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
References
WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines — World Health Organization — 2021.
Physical Activity in Polluted Air—Net Benefit or Harm to Cardiovascular Health? — International review published on NCBI/NIH — 2021.
Exercise and air pollutants exposure: A systematic review — Published (journal abstract) and indexed by science databases (research synthesis) — 2019.
Outdoor Physical Activity in an Air Polluted Environment: A Review — NCBI/NIH — 2022.
ICMR multisite analyses and health advisories on air pollution/respiratory morbidity (India) — Indian Council of Medical Research / Press Information Bureau — 2022.
