Should You Run in High AQI? Top Neurologist Approves Two-Step Fix

Even as the air quality levels continue to drop massively across Delhi-NCR and with no respite from pollution in sight, morning walkers and runners are affected a lot. Most fitness enthusiasts who love

exercising outdoors have been taking warnings from the doctors and experts to not venture seriously till now. But till when? According to experts, walking in such conditions can lead to the inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and harmful gases, which irritate the respiratory tract, aggravate asthma, cause breathlessness, and increase the risk of long-term cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Individuals with pre-existing health conditions, children, and older adults are particularly vulnerable. Combined with cooler temperatures and reduced wind during this season, these pollutants linger, causing a phenomenon called smog. This can make outdoor activities like running outside unsafe. Addressing this issue, Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, has shared a two-step fix to help those who love exercising outdoors. Dr Kumar responded to a follower’s query on X about whether running for 30 minutes outdoors in an AQI of around 200 is better than staying indoors without exercise. According to the neurologist, who broke down the pros and cons of both options, even though outdoor running has more benefits, polluted air leads to serious risks that offset those gains. In areas where the AQI is 150 or higher, the benefits of running come at a cost. “Deep, rapid breathing during running greatly increases inhaled air volume, pulling 10–20 times more pollutants deep into the lungs,” Dr Kumar wrote. He added that exposure to particulate matter and ozone during intense activity is linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, reduced lung function, and high blood pressure, apart from heart and lung diseases. So, for people with asthma, cardiac conditions, or stroke risk, such exposure can be acutely harmful. As a result, Dr Kumar concluded that when AQI levels reach 200, “the harms of pollutant inhalation outweigh the short-term exercise benefits.”

Best practical tips to exercise amid pollution?

To counter the effects of high pollution while not missing out on your daily workout, Dr Kumar suggested two practical options:

Exercise indoors

Treadmill, skipping, yoga, resistance training, or online workouts with windows closed and air purifiers.

Resume outdoor exercise when AQI < 100 (preferably < 50).

“If you must go out: choose early morning hours, wear an N95 mask, and avoid high-traffic routes,” he wrote. According to Dr Kumar, when the AQI is less than 200, it is better for your heart and lungs to skip outdoor running and exercise indoors instead. “Short-term inactivity is less harmful than breathing polluted air deeply”.