The winter months are tough, the days become shorter, the weather gets colder, and people get common winter illnesses such as the cold and flu. Here we discuss the winter health tips.
If you are looking forward to the festive season, the last thing you want is to come down with the most common illnesses associated with winter.
If you want to have everything sorted for the winter, you will need to do everything you can to avoid the common cold.
In this article, we will go through some simple and natural ways in which you can maintain good health through the winter months.
1. Keep Exercising Through The Cold Months
Exercise is one of the most important things a healthy person should be doing to maintain their health throughout the winter. Yes, the winter months are colder, and the mornings and evenings are darker and it’s genuinely much harder to have the urge to go outside. But you will feel so much better once you have been on your run or been to the gym.
Exercise is not only great for your body, but it is also fantastic for your mental health as this will be something that is affected through something called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you are struggling to get the motivation to go for a run when it is extra cold and wet, it is good to have a backup plan. This could be to go to the gym and build muscle or alternatively, you can do the home workout that you may still have from the previous lockdown.
2. Keep Yourself Warm
This one sounds obvious, but people forget to layer up in the winter months which can lead to the common cold and worse such as hypothermia. This is not what you want in the lead-up to Christmas, so wrap up. One helpful tip is to check the weather before you leave so you can dress appropriately.
For a more thorough investigation, check your weather app to see if you need to bring an umbrella or an extra layer in your bag. These all sound like things everyone does, but you will be surprised with the number of people who go out in shorts in the snow and then wonder why they have a cold. Making your home more snug and homely also helps.
3. Get Enough Vitamin D In Your Diet
In the winter months, it is not unusual to go to work in the dark and come home from work in the dark. This can leave people feeling drained, depressed, and just overall groggy. This is due to a lack of vitamin D in our bodies which is extremely common in the winter which is called a seasonal affective disorder.
Vitamin D is formed in the body through our skin when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D can also be found in some foods such as oily fish, eggs, and some cereals but not enough to keep your levels high. Many people resort to taking vitamin D tablets to reach their average daily amount which can help to improve your overall mood which will also reduce the symptoms of SAD. Adding different healing herbs to your diet may also boost your overall health and well-being.
4. Ensure Good Sleep Hygiene
Food hygiene is a real thing, and it is all to do with having a healthy sleep pattern. There are many ways in which you can improve this. It is worrying that there are so many people who just don’t get enough sleep.
It is difficult to get up in the mornings as it is, and it can be tempting to just lay in bed, but this is doing more harm than good as it will disrupt your sleep patterns. Some tips on getting the most out of your sleep include not taking caffeine, avoiding eating, and exercising before you go to bed as all of these can keep you up longer than needed.
5. Keep Your Home Snug and Warm
Being cold is one thing, but when you have a cold house too, there is just no need to put yourself through this. The risks outweigh the cost when it comes to having a warm home. It can help to prevent illnesses and will also stop you from having anything seriously wrong with you such as having a heart attack or hypothermia. Tips include:
- Ensure the living room is at 21°C and everywhere else is at least 18°C by regulating your heating system with a thermostat.
- Keep the bedroom at 18°C and ensure all doors and windows are closed for more sustainable living reducing energy waste.
- Draw curtains and blinds to keep the heat in the home.
- Avoid placing furniture near radiators, let heat circulate.
- Ensure you have at least one draft excluder to help keep heat in.
- Place a hot water bottle in your bed to keep the bed warm.
Now you are aware of the 5 natural and effective ways to make it through the winter without suffering from cold after cold or even worse, the flu. However, should you get unwell it is always recommended to consult your doctor.
Manuela Willbold
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