How to Stay Healthy in Winter

As the weather gets colder and damper, it gets harder to stay on top of your health and healthy habits. A day that may have been started with a morning walk may now be replaced in favour of an extra hour in bed before facing the horrible British winter. However, there are some ways you can stay on top form, so you can enjoy the holiday season without having to worry about a cold!

Get Your Flu Vaccine

Flu will often get better on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill. If you are offered a flu vaccine, make sure you take it – they are offered on the NHS, and can help to protect people from the risk of flu and its complications.

Keeping Your Home Warm

Being cold can cause many illnesses and can also make you very uncomfortable during the winter months. Make sure your home is always heated to above 18 degrees to ensure you stay the right temperature when at home. If you get colder in the night, use a hot water bottle or electric blanket, but never at the same time, as this can be dangerous. Eating enough can also stop you from getting too cold – make sure you’re having at least one hot meal a day in order to keep your energy up during the winter months – hot drinks also help. If you live in an old house, investing in draft excluders and keeping your curtains closed from dusk onwards will help to keep heat in and the cold out.

Diet

Winter can make us crave warming comfort foods, and as satisfying as these are in moderation, it is also important to make sure you’re getting the vitamins you need. Vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and swede, are all in season during the winter months, are versatile, and will provide you with a lot of the vitamins you need to stay healthy. Fruits like satsumas are a good way to up your vitamin C intake, and milk and dairy products are a great source of vitamins A and B12.

Feeling Tired

Many people complain of feeling tired and sluggish during the winter months – this is due to the lack of sunlight, which disrupts our sleeping patterns. Making sure to get out in the daylight for a walk or to run errands will help you to up the intake of vitamin D and will make you feel brighter and more awake. Having a set sleep schedule (going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day) will also help you to feel more awake and will keep you in a good routine. Exercise is a great way to feel energised, as is meditation. Taking some time out of your day to do something that will make you feel calm and relaxed is a great way to ensure you banish that sluggishness!