Winter is here, and for most of us, that means publicly complaining about having to stay in while privately making sure our food delivery apps are up-to-date. There’s no denying the allure of hibernation, but it’s no way to pass the winter. By February, seasonal affective disorder starts creeping in, your energy level is at its annual low, and you’ve eaten enough palak paneer in front of the TV for one lifetime.

But we’ve got some good news: exercising outside an option, and recent studies show that it may actually be better for you than working out in more hospitable temperatures. Read on to find out how running in cold weather can help you beat SAD, burn calories, and even boost your immune system.

Running gives you a dose of serotonin.

 Research into seasonal affective disorder (SAD) shows that the main cause of it may be simply that winter is a complete bummer. With winter’s short days and overcast skies, there’s a lot less sunlight to soak up, and sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin. This neurotransmitter plays a pretty huge role in happiness, and less of it means your mind gets transformed from a sunny place filled with possibilities into a little rain cloud of despair.

But while a whole industry has built up around fighting SAD—from lightboxes to melatonin supplements—all you may need is a pair of running shoes, cold-weather gear, and a path. Exercise is known to boost serotonin, so you can send SAD packing just by sticking to your routine.

The cold burns calories . . . in two ways.

 A calorie is just a way to measure heat, so it stands to reason the more your body has to work to heat up, the more calories it burns. But there’s more to it than that.

Brown fat. This special kind of fat guzzles regular body fat for fuel when the body gets cold. (Brown fat is why cavemen found frozen in a glacier are never morbidly obese.) Some studies even suggest that exercise can produce brown fat out of more predominant white fat.

Shivering. You can burn 400 calories an hour doing it. Shivering also releases irisin, a hormone that causes brown fat cells to go full Pac-Man on less-desirable white fat cells. Pretty cool.

Cold-weather runs can help deter the flu.

A runny nose is a familiar foe to most cold-weather runners, but it’s not a sign of a hobbled immune system. According to the Mayo Clinic, running in cold weather on a regular basis actually boosts your immunity to the flu by up to 30 percent. They’re not sure why, but it’s probably related to the exposure theory—you know, the one everyone cites when they tell you to let your baby eat out of the trash.

But don’t expect total invincibility. In addition to putting on gloves, a face mask, and sensible layers, be sure to spend a little time shivering before you run. One study showed that people who shivered before taking a winter run showed higher immunity after.

Still, take precautions.

Much like fire or Vin Diesel’s performance in The Pacifier, winter weather can cause some real damage if you don’t limit your exposure. Here are some tips for running wisely in winter.

• Dress in layers. Aim for moisture-wicking material close to the skin, followed by fleece or a similar material, topped off with a waterproof jacket.
• Don’t slip. If it’s icy, invest in a pair of winter weather spikes to slip over your shoes.
• Watch the temperature. To avoid frostbite, never run when the air temperature dips below 5 degrees or the wind chill is less than -18.