Late in the evening or early in the morning, it can be dark outdoors — so you have to take extra precautions when you’re outside exercising.

The University of Wisconsin Health advises that you:

• Start your run heading into the wind (if it’s windy) so that it’s at your back on your return trip. Walk or run against the flow of traffic; bike with the flow.
• Wear light-colored clothing (in layers if it’s cool) and reflective material on your clothes and shoes. Avoid dark clothes and consider a headlamp.
• Use eye protection if you wear contact lenses; don’t use sunglasses, which can make it harder to see when it’s dark.
• Keep an ID on you, and carry a cell phone. Don’t listen to music as it’s too hard to hear what’s going on around you.
• Try different routes rather than always taking the same route. Make sure that your neighborhood is safe after dark. Try exercising with a buddy.
• If you have long hair, opt to put it up rather than in a ponytail, which could be easy for someone to grab in the event of an attack.

Source: HealthDay