Is It Safe to Walk or Exercise Outside When AQI Is Above 300?
Your phone says AQI 368, and your walking shoes are already by the door. Stop right there.
Is it safe to exercise outside when AQI is above 300? No. At that level the government's health guidance says to avoid outdoor physical activities, and on 9 November Delhi is sitting right in that band. Here is what the numbers mean, what the official advice says at each level, and what you can do instead of the morning walk.
What is Delhi's AQI today, and what does 368 mean?
On the morning of 9 November, Delhi's AQI stood at 368 at 7 am, according to CPCB's real-time data, with PM2.5 the main pollutant. Of the 54 stations reporting valid data, 50 showed readings above 300 and 15 crossed 400. Burari Crossing and Sonia Vihar were highest at 441 each. The same report puts Ghaziabad at 366, Noida at 340, Faridabad at 334 and Gurugram at 316, and says Delhi's air quality early warning system has forecast that air could slip into the "severe" category from 9 November and stay there for the next few days, with low wind speeds and poor ventilation among the reasons.
The AQI scale has six bands: Good (0-50), Satisfactory (51-100), Moderate (101-200), Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400) and Severe (401-500). So 368 is "Very Poor". For this band, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) lists respiratory illness in healthy people as a possible health effect, and severe breathing illness in vulnerable people.
Should you walk, run or exercise outside at each AQI level?
The same NCDC handbook, built on the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health, gives a clear ladder. Vulnerable people here means children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with existing lung disease.
Notice what the mask is paired with: "going out", not working out. At 301 and above, the advice for everyone is to skip outdoor exercise itself.
What can you do instead of your morning walk?
You do not have to lose the habit, just move it indoors for a few days.
- Climb stairs in your building, a few rounds at a steady pace.
- Walk inside the house while you take phone calls.
- Do 20 minutes of yoga or bodyweight exercises in the room with the most open space.
- Skip rope if you have the ceiling height.
Keep the indoor air clean too. The handbook asks you to avoid extra sources of pollution at home on Very Poor and Severe days, such as burning, candles and smoking. Not sure how many steps to aim for? Our post on whether you really need 10,000 steps helps you set a realistic number.
Does an N95 mask make a walk safe?
A good mask lowers what you breathe in, but it does not turn a Very Poor day into a safe workout day. The NCDC handbook says N95 or N99 masks protect against fine particles (PM2.5 and PM10), but only when they fit over your nose and mouth with no gaps. It also says paper masks, handkerchiefs, scarves and cloth are not effective in poor to severe air pollution, and that a disposable N95 should be thrown away after a day of heavy use or when it gets dirty or wet.
For a full comparison of masks, purifiers and plants, read what actually works against Delhi pollution.
Does drinking more water help on smog days?
Water is on the official list. The handbook advises frequent water breaks at Poor levels, plenty of water for vulnerable people on Very Poor days, and plenty of water for everyone on Severe days. But it sits next to the main steps, which are staying indoors, skipping outdoor exercise and using a fitted N95 when you must go out. Drinking water is a sensible habit on these days, not a shield.
Winter also makes it easy to forget to drink. If that is you, see why you feel less thirsty in winter, and use our daily water intake calculator to check your target.
When should you stop and see a doctor?
The handbook lists chest pain, coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath, red or irritated eyes, and headache and giddiness among the ways air pollution can affect you. If you get any of these, stop what you are doing and move to cleaner indoor air. It advises you to consult a doctor if you have health issues, and to keep your regular medicines handy.
Where can you check the AQI before you step out?
- Open the CPCB air quality portal for live readings.
- Cross-check on the IITM air quality early warning site or the IMD website.
- Use the SAMEER and SAFAR apps, which the NCDC handbook recommends, for quick checks on your phone.
- Check again before every outing, because readings change through the day.