Staying healthy in the early part of winter can be challenging. Cold and flu season can take a real toll on your health and set you back for later in the season when cold weather and exposure to the elements can make you get sick all over again. Winter health can be tough to maintain without the right plan.
Staying healthy requires that you have the right plan and that you follow it all season. Winter will catch up with you if you don’t stay on top of your health. Whatever plan you have in place, you need to stick with it if you want it to work and care for your health all season long. Caring for all aspects of your health can help you be as healthy as possible all year long, but it makes a big difference in the winter.
If you are ready to learn more about the ways to stay healthy during winter, read on!
Stay Healthy During Cold Weather with 7 Tips
1. Wash Your Hands
As simple as this sounds, you should always be diligent about washing your hands during the winter. Many illnesses are going around during this time of year. You should avoid accidentally infecting yourself by touching surfaces with germs and viruses on them and then touching your face or eating with your hands.
Washing your hands keeps you from making other people sick, and it can make a big difference toward not getting other people’s illnesses accidentally. If you cannot access water and soap, you can carry hand sanitizer to take care of this need. Clean hands are healthy hands.
2. Stay Warm
Avoid going outside in the cold without the proper protection from the elements. While it is an old wives’ tale that you will get sick just from getting cold, the stress of keeping yourself warm all day can take its toll on your health. Your body will struggle to protect its health if you are freezing, especially if you are outside in the cold for many hours of the day.
Be careful about sweating and then getting chilled, as this can lead to hypothermia if you are exposed to the cold for too long. Take the same care if you are getting wet while you are outside and it’s cold out. Wearing the proper clothing when you need to be outside can help you stay healthy all winter long.
3. Take Your Vitamin C
Make sure that you get lots of vitamin C all winter long. Vitamin C can help your immune system stay healthy and strong, and vitamin C can support muscle recovery and nerve and soft tissues health. You will get many benefits from fresh fruits and veggies for your winter health, and you should not skip this part of your overall health plan.
If you do not want to eat fruits and veggies, you can easily take supplements to get your vitamin C each day. Caring for your nutritional and dietary health can help keep your immune system strong and your body healthy during cold and flu season. Diet and vitamins are crucial to your overall well-being.
4. Get Lots of Rest
Sleep is restorative, and you need to make sure that you are getting good sleep if you want to stay healthy. This should be a year-round goal for you, but the winter is a significant time to make sleep a priority for your needs. Getting enough sleep every night can help your body to heal and promote a strong immune system.
Sleep is also good for preventing anxiety which can lead to increased cortisol in your body. Cortisol stresses your immune system, and you should try and make sure that you keep your stress to a minimum if you want to be healthy year-round. Winter is a great time to get a little extra sleep each night since the daylight is gone so much earlier, and it is easy to get lots of hours of sleep because of the extra hours of darkness.
5. Exercise
It can be challenging to stick to an exercise routine during the colder, darker months. Not to mention, holiday seasons keep us all very busy inside! This is why it is essential to keep moving and to work exercise into your healthy winter routine. Consider working out at home using an app or fitness equipment such as a treadmill or indoor exercise bike. When the weather I nice, take that opportunity to get outside, enjoy a walk, and breathe in some fresh air.
6. Get Some Sun
With sunlight being limited during the winter months, it’s essential to get outside and soak it up while you can. Sunlight boosts the release of serotonin, also known as the happy hormone, because of its mood support benefits. Exposure to sunlight also helps treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and regulate your circadian rhythm, responsible for healthy sleep cycles.
7. Hydrate Your Skin
Cold weather can cause skin dryness, flaking, cracking, and even eczema. Keep your skin healthy and moisturized through the winter by drinking plenty of water, hydrating your skin with an ointment or cream, and using sunscreen while outside. Keeping your skin soft and healthy will help to avoid painful irritations, infections, and more.
Winter Health Requires Care For Your Whole Body
Caring for your health all year requires that you manage your diet, wash your hands and take care to get enough sleep. Supporting healthy habits often leads to better health overall. You will get in such a good routine with the healthy actions you want to keep going with this routine all year! Be mindful of times you go out to eat or head out into a crowd and consider keeping a mask and hand sanitizer on hand to give you some added protection.
If you are tired of being sick constantly all winter long, these tips and tricks will keep you healthy and happy throughout the winter. Enjoy the cold weather, but do so in the proper clothing and be careful to warm up periodically if you are outside for long hours on a given day. Taking care of your body’s needs is easy when you have a plan for your total needs.
Staying healthy in the winter is easy if you follow these tips and tricks this year.
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Helpful Resources
https://carilionclinicliving.com/article/wellness/5-tips-staying-healthy-during-winter
https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/advice/your-guide-to-staying-healthy-this-winter/
