How to maintain your health this winter

Image credit: Jenny Hill on Unsplash

Now more than ever it is important to look after your health. We’ve seen throughout the year how easily germs can spread and at a rapid pace, which is why you should do everything you can to ensure your health is the best it can be and try to maintain that, especially over the next few months as winter arrives. In this post, we are going to look at ways you can maintain your health this winter. 

Wash your hands thoroughly
By now you should be washing your hands often and thoroughly throughout the day. It’s something that you should be doing in general as practicing good hand hygiene is just sensible. Washing your hands will remove viruses, bacteria, dirt, and any other harmful substances that can be found on your hands and stop you from spreading them to other people and objects. Illnesses that can be spread by hands include flu, food poisoning, and diarrhea. 

Simply wash them with soap and water for around 20 seconds, ensuring you clean between your fingers, the back of your hands, and the tips of your fingers. Make sure you dry your hands properly as partially dried hands can attract germs easily and recontaminate them. If soap and water are not available you can clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol, then when you can, clean them with soap and water.

Look after your home
One thing for certain, nothing beats the satisfaction and contentment that comes with creating a warm, welcoming and inviting home that is clean, stylish and presentable.

Looking after yourself has incredible benefits as we all know, but looking after your home inside and out can also have a hugely positive effect on your mental wellbeing.  Having those gutters clean and clear from the build-up of twigs and leaves will only keep that water flowing from the rain and avoid water damage, attic leaks, foundation cracks, slippery sidewalks and even pest problems. Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Newark offer such a service and have done so since 2001.

Eat more fruit and vegatables
An effective way to fight off germs is by keeping your body healthy by eating well. To eat healthier you need to add more fruit and vegetables to your diet. On cold winter days and nights, you may be tempted to pick comfort food over healthier options. This is fine in moderation but try to stick to a healthy diet to maintain your immune system and protect you from winter illnesses like flu, coughs, and colds.

There are many people who train to become a health coach who can provide you with information on taking responsibility for your diet, so if you are struggling in this area consider speaking to an expert who can offer advice. In the meantime, you could try boosting your fruit and veg intake with staple winter vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, and carrots. Fruits you should try to eat at this time of year include oranges, lemons and limes, and pomegranates. 

Ensure you exercise
Winter weather can be off-putting leaving many people staying indoors instead of getting out and about for some fresh air and exercise. While sitting by the fireplace with a hot drink and a good book may sound ideal, it is important to still get some kind of exercise. Whether you choose to stay indoors or go outside for this, is entirely up to you. 

You could go for a nice long winter walk, a jog in the morning to get it out of the way, or you could do a quick 10-minute workout at home which is short enough that you can easily fit it into your daily routine. Exercise can help protect against high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, as well as other health conditions. It also helps strengthen your muscles and builds endurance. Exercise can also boost your mood and increase your mental alertness. 

Get plenty of sleep
Getting enough sleep helps to keep your mind and body healthy. Most adults need around 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. While the number of hours of sleep is important, so is the quality of your sleep as this will help prevent you from waking up throughout the night. There are many health benefits of getting enough sleep. It can help reduce stress, lower your risk of serious health conditions, help you maintain your weight, and prevent you from getting sick often. 

If you are struggling to get enough sleep, you can try making changes to your bedtime routine. Give yourself a bedtime each night and try to stick to this. By getting into a routine, it will allow you to relax and unwind around the same time every night. To help you relax, you could have a warm bath before bed, listen to calming music, or read a book to relax the mind. Create a comfortable sleep environment, making sure the room is dark and quiet. 
​
If you’re a first-time parent or you’re growing your family, its a guarantee that many parents struggle everywhere with getting their baby to sleep. As with adults, sleep is quite a personal thing for a baby and there are many things that could be keeping them up at night.

It’s important to look after your body throughout the year but especially during winter. By following the tips outlined in this post, you can help maintain your health this winter.