Choose a custom location and time for outdoor activities?
The health benefits of sports or exercise far outweigh the negative effects of air pollution. But if you can, opt for outdoor activities in places and times with less air pollution.
You tackle the following challenges:
That's how you do it
During exercise you breathe in more air, so you get more polluted air. The nasal passages, which hold back dangerous and polluting particles, are also more quickly sidelined because you start to breathe more through the mouth.
- Exercise as much as possible in locations without traffic or where traffic is as limited as possible (e.g. in a park).
- Follow the current state of air quality and plan your activities based on the forecasts.
- Limit your outdoor activities on days with a lot of air pollution, such as smog. Consult reliable air quality sources (see 'More information' below).
- With ozonesmog on hot days, air quality is usually worst in the afternoon. Plan your activities earlier in the day when there is less smog.
More information
- Current air quality (Flemish Environmental Agency, Flanders)
- Current air quality (Air Monitoring Network, the Netherlands)
- How do you prevent complaints from air pollution? (GGD Living Environment, The Netherlands)
