Winter is coming, and with it the usual bouts of ill health such as colds and flu. It’s never been exactly clear why people tend to get sick more during the winter months, perhaps because we’re more crowded together on public transport due to bad weather, allowing infections to spread easily, but what is certain is that there are plenty of ways to stay well. Here’s how you can protect your family’s health…
Keep an ear out for problems
Winter illness disproportionately affects those who are older and less mobile, so stay in touch on a regular basis with elderly relatives and any that have difficulty getting about, to check that they’re okay. Ensure that they have enough blankets, tinned food and prescription medicine to get them through bad weather, and make a point of checking around the home for any freezing pipes.
If anyone in your family wears hearing aids then remember that very cold temperatures (below 10ºC) can damage the batteries, so ensure they have a spare set. Also, condensation when moving suddenly from cold to warm environments can get into the electronics, so if the device starts malfunctioning that could be a possible cause. Ear infections tend to be more common in winter too, as less blood circulates.
Make like a bear
Humans ought to have around eight or nine hours of sleep every night to be in peak condition, but many of us only manage around six-and-a-half, for various reasons. Some can get by on much less. But following your natural inclinations to hibernate during the colder months will help you feel less run down and therefore healthier, so if the kids want an extra hour in bed at weekends, let them.
Exercise
Conversely, one of the best ways to stave off a winter illness is by getting plenty of exercise. So throw off your duvet, kick away your slippers, pause your Game of Thrones marathon, and hit the gym for a yoga or Pilates class. If it’s a clear day, a brisk walk will clear the cobwebs away in no time.
Eat well
Cold weather can increase appetite, so make a point of stocking up on healthy snacks next time you go to the supermarket. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, spend a little extra on having food delivered – it’s worth it, plus you can keep a regular supply of fresh fruit and veg in to make hearty soups and casseroles.
Eliminate draughts
There’s nothing worse than curling up for a lazy afternoon on the sofa and being disturbed by a cold draught. Fit draught excluders around your home wherever there is a badly-fitting door or window, and patch up any holes in the walls to keep out the winter chills. Bring your hot water bottles, electric blankets and blankets out of storage to avoid having to crank up the heating, and hit the charity shops for plenty of warm woolly fleeces to wear in the house.
Institute basic hygiene rules
Washing their hands is anathema to some kids, but getting them into a routine of doing so several times a day can help prevent the spread of infection. If they should come down with something, do other parents a favour and keep them off school until better.
Watch your step
Rain, wet leaves, ice on steps and pavements all cause thousands of preventable injuries every winter. Help take some of the strain off our precious NHS by taking it nice and slow, and wearing shoes or boots with a good grip.
Protect your eyesight
UV rays are a threat to your family’s eyes even in winter during cloudy days, so make sure everyone wears a pair of sunglasses whenever they’re out and about.
Don’t be SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which afflicts women more than men, has symptoms including irritability, fatigue and unsociability. It can be effectively treated with Bright Light Therapy, and exercise outdoors can also help.
Open the medicine cabinet
When was the last time you went through your medicine cabinet and chucked out anything past its use-by date? Remove and replace as necessary so that if any of your family comes down with something you can look after them properly.