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Winter can be a great season. You have frosted trees, kids playing around and for some of us; the excitement of seeing snowfall for the first time since last year. If you want to enjoy this season as much as possible, then keeping yourself healthy is key. With the common cold being more active than ever during winter, now is a great time for you to start helping yourself and your immune system.
Check the Weather
One thing that unfortunately took me until I was 20 to learn was to ‘check the weather’. Just by simply pulling out your Weather app and checking the plan of temperature can completely change your day around and keep you from getting that winter cold.
Dull, low cloud and even misty conditions can bring a huge increase in germs. Viruses can survive longer when the weather is incredibly moist. They can hang in the air and they can also attach themselves to water droplets much easier. This means you are far more likely to catch a winter cold at this time. The incubation period for colds and coughs is around 12 days, so you may not even notice that you have caught a virus until after this time. If you have a cough or cold right now and it doesn’t seem to be going away, then you may have a tonsil issue, click here to learn more.
Try and Keep Warm
When you do check the weather, you will know how to properly dress that day, keeping you warm and healthy. By not staying warm, your body will instantly feel the cold and it will start to shiver. Shivering depresses your immune system and this makes you far more likely to catch a cold. Lower levels of sunlight and hormone alterations can also negatively affect how your immune system performs. I remember my winter in Europe with Up With People, I didn’t have the appropriate clothing and ended up feeling tired and sick for some of the time. If I had to recommend one thing for this winter to always bring with you, it would be a hat. After all, 30% of heat leaves through the head.
Wash your Hands
Most infections are carried in the air and they are transmitted via hands, door handles, sinks, etc. Infected hands can then touch vulnerable parts of the body, such as the eyes, the mouth, and even the nose. These areas offer very easy access to invading germs. If you want to get around this then you need to wash your hands very often and carry around portable hand sanitizer gel.
Huddling
Something I love about winter is SNUGGLES! Unfortunately, this tends to make it easier for infections to spread. There’s also a lot of people traveling, busy, loud, and consistently touching everything in sight.
Crowded trains also have very little ventilation and this is a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. Busy shopping centers and even parties can also make catching a cold much easier. Central heating will drastically reduce your defense system and it will also affect the respiratory system. The dry, stuffy air that central heating produces can also have a significant impact on your overall health.
The best thing that you can do here is to try and stop using your central heating and avoid crowded public places. Sure, this is easier said than done but the more effort you can put into this, the less likely you will be to catch a winter cold or a similar virus. To keep myself away from such a large crowd, I tend to spend time making meals with my close family and then fitting in some at home ab workouts to burn off all those Christmas cookies!
Do you get a winter cold each year or are you good at avoiding it?
If so, what tips would you add to this list?!
How To Stay Healthy At Home During Winter
Learn How You Can Be More Aware Of Your Health Now
Remember... no matter what challenges you face,
Take it 1 Day At A Time.
