It’s especially important to stay happy and healthy during the colder months. Here we have 5 tips to help you fight off the colds and winter blues.

With winter just a few weeks away, it will soon be time to snuggle up indoors by the fire, hot drinks, stew in the pot and cosy blankets. But it’s also the time of year for the dreaded shovelling of snow, scraping your car windscreen and those unwelcome colds and bugs.

1. Keep Warm

Cold weather can affect your body’s ability to fight off viruses and infections. By keeping warm, you can help yourself stay well this winter. Your home should be heated to around 18-21ºC especially in your living room during the day. If you have a wood burner, not only does it do a great job of keeping your home toasty through winter it also helps to reduce your blood pressure. Just watching a fire and listening to the sounds of the crackling wood will bring your heart rate down leaving you feeling both relaxed and warm.

2. Exercise

It’s easy to let your exercise routine slump during the cold, dark months of winter. It’s harder to get out of bed in a morning and all you want to do is cosy up by the fire of an evening. Keep up with your routine and you will feel the benefits. Exercise is great for physical and mental health and will help to keep your stress levels down. If you don’t fancy a run in the cold and wet, head to the gym instead or stick on a fitness program at home to get your heart pumping. It’s important to not over do it either as that’s when illness can strike!

3. Sleep Well

8 full hours of sleep every night is recommended. Sleep boosts your immune system, your immune cells and proteins get the rest they need to fight off whatever comes their way, like colds or the flu! Other benefits include weight loss, better moods and it can also strengthen your heart.

4. Eat Well

Eating a healthy, varied diet is essential all year through. Are you getting your 5 a day? Fruit and vegetables should make up just over a third of the food you eat each day. There’s evidence that people who eat at least 5 portions have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

5. Supplement with vitamin D3

Because there’s less sun in the winter months, we don’t get as much vitamin D. Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system so supplementing through winter will give you a boost.