10 winter health tips that really work
From clearing a blocked nose to boosting the efficacy of your winter flu jab, these winter health tips can make a big difference when it comes to staying well in the cold weather
While you might think you've heard all the winter health tips there are - but there are a couple that could surprise you, and help you look after yourself this season.
With the cold temperatures and wet weather in winter, it's very normal to find yourself feeling under the weather, with a cough or sore throat, headache, and sleeping difficulties - especially so this year, as flu cases in the UK surged by 70% in a week. The rise prompted experts like Dr Amir Khan to issue flu advice to refresh our memory on how to get rid of a cold quickly.
Here, we’ve asked the experts for their top health hacks that can heal, cure and prevent all manner of winter wellbeing ailments, without you having to make too much effort.
Winter health tips
1. Boost your vaccine effectiveness
Doing arm exercises before you have the flu jab can create a stronger immune response that makes the medicine work harder, research from the University of Birmingham found. The researchers had participants lower weights slowly, resisting the force of gravity.
To get the same results, simply clench and unclench your fist for 10 to 20 minutes before your appointment.
Having plenty of sleep before an immunity-boosting vaccine can also make it more effective, a study published in Current Biology found. Participants who got less than 6 hours of sleep before vaccination saw a reduced antibody response to their vaccine.
2. Stop a tickly cough
When you feel dryness and irritation, put your finger in your ear and wiggle it, says holistic GP Dr Sohère Roked. It might sound like an odd thing to do, but she explains that "there’s a nerve in the throat that also goes into the ear [and] stimulating this can stop the tickle."
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3. Take off your hat
It is not quite clear why dandruff gets worse in the winter, but it could be because the scalp produces more oil in cold weather, says trichologist Stephanie Sey. The solution? Don’t wear a hat all the time.
"They can cause your head to sweat and create the perfect environment for yeast to thrive. This in turn causes dandruff and flakes," she says.
4. Clear a blocked nose
Bunged up? Press firmly next to the widest part of each nostril (where smile lines start) with a finger on both sides. Hold for up to two minutes and you should breathe more easily. "It can help to open the nasal passages, alleviate congestion and reduce sneezing," explains holistic health expert Richard Brook, founder of Creative Wellness.
5. Supercharge mushrooms for extra vitamin D
Feeling low, getting poor sleep or having regular aches and pains? This could be a sign that you need to check your vitamin D levels – an essential vitamin for bone and muscle health. About 90-95% of the vitamin D we get naturally comes from exposing our skin to sunlight, but from October to April, the UK sun is too weak for us to make any vitamin D, says Dr Sarah Jarvis.
The NHS recommends that every adault has 400IU of vitamin D daily, whether via supplementation or natural sources. Mushrooms are one of a few foods rich in vitamin D, but did you know you can increase your levels by turbocharging your mushrooms? Put them in direct sunlight for between 15 minutes and two hours to boost their vitamin D levels.
Additionally, Dr Amir Khan advises that to help your body absorb vitamin D, you need to ensure you're eating plenty of magnesium-rich foods such as dark, leafy greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains, and foods with vitamin K2, such as eggs, cheese, liver, and fermented foods.
6. Switch your sport
You can stay inside but still reap the benefits of physical activity with these clever swaps:
- Tennis for badminton: Your improved coordination and agility may well benefit your tennis game too.
- Swimming for indoor rowing: Diving into a pool can become less enticing as the temperature drops. Using an indoor rowing machine will give a great workout, combining strength training and cardiovascular fitness, similar to swimming.
- Walking for yoga: There’s nothing like a winter stroll when it’s dry. If it’s pouring, try a yoga class instead. The meditative benefits are similar to that of a relaxing walk, and your posture, flexibility and breathing all stand to improve. Try these yoga stretches for beginners to get started.
7. Help improve air quality indoors
Buying an air-purifying houseplant is a particularly good idea in winter, when we're less likely to have windows open to aid natural ventilation in our homes.
"A snake plant or a kentia palm conveniently stores oxygen away throughout the day and releases it during the night – purifying the air and improving the quality of sleep," says sleep expert Hannah Shore, a sleep knowledge and research manager at Silentnight. Consider one of the five best plants for bedrooms.
Perfect for the kitchen or the office, this low-maintenance spider plant comes with a 30-cm pot.
8. Enhance your hearing
If you sometimes can't hear well in noisy environments, now is the ideal time to try this fix, says ex-DJ Andy Shanks, co-founder of eargym, a hearing health app.
Put on the TV and play white noise alongside it from another device. Turn up the volume of the white noise until you can’t hear what’s being said in the TV show, then reduce it to a level where you can just about follow along. Make a note of this volume.
Listen at this volume for at least 10 minutes and repeat daily. Gradually, you should be able to understand what’s being said on the TV over the white noise at an ever-increasing volume.
9. Avoid a tumble
Each year, more than 2,500 of us are admitted to hospital following a fall on snow or ice (according to NHS figures for 2018-19) but there is a trick to staying upright – simply take small steps so that more of your foot stays in contact with the ground. Plus, look for boots that have traction rubber outsoles, like those from our guide on the best walking shoes for women.
If they’re good enough for Kate Middleton, they’re good enough for us. The Royal was spotted wearing a version of these Sorel winter boots and they’re both stylish and practical. A grippy sole, they’re fully waterproof with a snug fleece lining for warmth.
10. Warm up for free
Out in the cold? Instead of jumping up and down, the Ujjayi breathing technique can warm the body, says holistic wellness expert Cheryl MacDonald.
To do it, seal your lips and take a deep inhale through the nose. Exhale through the nose, constricting the muscles at the back of the throat to create an ‘ocean sound’ (a bit like Darth Vader). Create the same sound on the following inhales. Repeat up to 20 times.
This article first appeared in the January 2024 issue of woman&home magazine. We've added some extra information, such as sources and latest advice, to this version. Subscribe to the magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
Faye M Smith is an award-winning journalist with over 20 years experience in the magazine industry. Her continued work in the area of natural health won her the coveted title of the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) Journalist of the Year Award 2021. Currently Group Health Director across several magazines including woman&home, Woman, and Woman’s Own, Faye specialises in writing about women’s health, especially menopause, relationships and mental health.
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