10 Winter Wellness Tips To Keep You Happy And Healthy This Season

Winter can be a difficult time for many in the UK. The perennially grey weather and chilly temperatures can mean that we feel far from healthy. But we’re sharing our best tips to keep you feel happy and healthy all winter long!

If you live in the UK, it can be hard to feel like you’re living your best, healthiest lives in winter. It’s cold, it’s often grey and rainy and it can be tempting to curl up on the sofa with a boxset and a hot chocolate until things warm up again.

Coughs and colds seem to be on a permanent rotation, especially if you have children. Leaving the house without coat, scarf and gloves seems like a distant memory. BBQs and walks in the evening sun now seem like a myth.

Well, though it’s perfectly natural to adopt a slower pace of life in winter, we thought we’d come up with a few health tips to keep you feeling your best all winter long.

Table of Contents

1. Eating seasonal fruit and vegetables

At this time of year, it’s vital to keep your immune system in top form.

One of the best ways of doing that is to make sure you get lots of fruit and vegetables into your diet. Some of the best choices are the foods that are in season at this time of year.

Seasonal fruit and veg are packed full of vitamins, minerals, other nutrients and fibre to keep you healthy. They have the added benefit of having fewer food miles so they’re usually better for the environment – and your wallet too!

Though we all love summer fruits and vegetables, winter is the perfect time to get stuck into the wide variety of British winter produce.

This includes:
🥕 Pumpkins and squashes
🥕 Root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, leeks, celeriac, beetroot and turnips
🥕 Brassicas like cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and cabbages
🥕 Mushrooms, artichokes, chicory, Swiss chard, chestnuts
🥕 Apples, pears, cranberries, citrus fruits and elderberries

mulitcoloured pumpkins in field

2. Getting enough sleep

One of the things we all notice about winter in the UK is darkness. In the depths of December and January, it can often feel like the sun never comes up at all.

The main effect of this lack of light is to sap our energy levels. It can feel like a mission each morning to drag yourself out of bed, and getting home from work in the dark each day is no fun.

Of course, the general rhythms of life like work and commitments don’t change in winter, but we can adjust around them.

Though it can make us feel lazy or even guilty, it’s very natural for our bodies to want more sleep in winter. After all, much of the animal kingdom hibernate during the colder months.

Though we can’t just, unfortunately, hibernate on the sofa with Netflix until spring, we can adjust our bedtimes a little earlier. Just an extra hour in bed might help you feel a bit more awake on those days when the sun seems firmly hidden away. 

3. Stay hydrated

In the summertime, drinking lots makes a lot of sense. It’s warm and we’re sweating more – even when we’re not moving.

But dehydration in the winter is just as dangerous. The problem is, it’s much less tempting to down a pint of chilled water from the tap when you already feel, well, chilly! Fortunately, water isn’t the only contributor to hydration.

Though it’s great to try and drink lots of water at any time of year, wintertime is all about efficiency. If you’re finding it hard to get enough liquid down, why not try these:

☕️ Tea, coffee and hot chocolate – of course, try not to overdo these. The sugar and caffeine content can have a detrimental effect on your sleep if consumed too often!

🍵 Herbal teas – These provide all the warmth and liquid of “normal” tea, but with no caffeine, sugar or calories. There are also dozens of varieties, so you’re sure to find one that you like!

🍊 Watered-down fruit juice – straight fruit juice is great in moderation but is very high in sugar. By watering it down, you get the flavour but less sugar. It also saves money!

🧃 Squash – Squash might not be that popular for those over the age of 10 but it’s a great way of getting maximum flavour into your water with minimal sugar and calories. You can even make it with hot water for a warming, fruity hit!

🍜 Eat foods that contain a lot of water, like soups and stews. If you’re struggling to drink your liquids, why not try eating them instead!

Great hydration can help your body in numerous ways, from making your skin brighter to boosting your immune system – something we all need at this time of year!

4. Comfort foods

When it’s cold and dark outside, it’s very tempting to fall into the trap of eating everything in sight – especially if it’s full of carbohydrates. But while we know we need to curb this urge to some extent, there is some logic behind this craving.

When we’re cold, our basal metabolic rate increases – so we need more calories to offset this expenditure. In fact, to warm your body up by 1 degree, your basal metabolic rate increases by about 7%. If you get really cold and start aggressively shivering (please avoid this if you can!), you can burn up to 400 extra calories an hour.

So, there is some reasoning behind all the big hearty meals that are favoured at this time of year!

Meals like roast dinners, soups, stews and pies are all excellent choices for this time of year. Though they might be a little higher in calories than meals that you would eat at other times of the year, they are packed full of vegetables, vitamins and protein that should keep you warm all winter long!

5. Soak up the vitamin D

Wintertime in the UK means a lot less sun. In the depths of December and January, it can sometimes feel as though the sun doesn’t fully rise at all. One major impact of this is that we often don’t get enough Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is vital for bone and muscle health. Our bodies produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is also found in small amounts in some foods such as egg yolks, liver, red meat, oily fish and some fortified foods like cereal.

The government recommends taking a Vitamin D supplement from October to March as the sunlight is not bright or reliable enough for us to make enough by ourselves.

A deficiency can lead to bone and muscle weakness and Rickets in children as well as negatively impacting our mental health. Some groups, such as children who are growing and those with mobility issues who cannot get outside as much, are especially vulnerable to this deficiency.

Of course, trying to get out in the sunshine is good for us in more ways than one. Though it helps our bodies to make its own Vitamin D, it’s also a big boost to our moods.

So whenever you see the sun peek out from behind the clouds in winter – try and soak some up!

golden sunshine shining through pine tree silouette winter sun

6. Get moving!

Our next winter health tip is pretty simple: sit less, move more! Alright, we know what you’re thinking. Easier said than done…

…Especially when it seems to be perpetually dark, cold and rainy outside and all the good dramas seem to be released in the post-Christmas vacuum.

Though it’s normal and natural for physical activity to reduce in wintertime, it’s important to try and keep your body moving. Even a few minutes of movement each day will help you feel more energetic and stave off the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which affects so many people.

Here are some of our top tips for keeping the blood pumping during wintertime:

🏃🏻‍♂️ Try and get out for a walk each day. Even a couple of minutes to the end of the road and back will have a positive effect!

🏃🏻‍♂️ Try and see if you can find somewhere to work standing up for a few hours a day. A few big books on the kitchen counter to rest your laptop on works well! Standing instead of sitting keeps the stabilising muscles of your legs, back and abdomen working throughout the day and can help alleviate the back and neck pain that often affects those who work at desks.

🏃🏻‍♂️ Try out some gentle YouTube exercise videos like yoga, pilates or dance. You can do them from the comfort of your front room in the pyjamas you haven’t taken off since October (no judgement here). Getting changed to put on workout clothes can feel so unappealing when it’s cold, so just start in whatever you’ve got on. You’ll soon warm up!

🏃🏻‍♂️ Take advantage of the New Years deals. Many gyms offer discounted memberships in the period after Christmas, so if you’re looking to begin a more dedicated fitness journey, it’s the perfect time!

🏃🏻‍♂️ Recruit a friend! Holding each other accountable is a great way to keep yourself motivated when the sofa looks really appealing. There are plenty of free apps like Strava where you can challenge your friends to see who can get the most steps!

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern.

SAD is sometimes known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter.

A few people with SAD may have symptoms during the summer and feel better during the winter.

Symptoms of SAD can include:

  • a persistent low mood
  • a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
  • irritability
  • feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
  • feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
  • sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning
  • craving carbohydrates and gaining weight

For some people, these symptoms can be severe and have a significant impact on their day-to-day activities.

(Credit: NHS Website)

7. Get moisturised

Now, moisturising might seem like an odd winter tip but bear with us.

During winter, your skin takes a battering. The cold weather and wind outside can make your skin feel fragile and damaged. The increased use of central heating when you’re inside can also severely dry out your skin.

The combination of the two can leave your skin, especially on your face and hands, feeling at best, a little dull and at worst, actively painful.

Applying a good, unfragranced moisturiser to your face daily can go a long way towards protecting your skins natural skin barrier.

It’s extra important to keep your hands moisturised too. In the post-covid world, we’re all washing our hands far more than we used to. Whether it’s a soap and hot water wash or an on-the-go alcoholic hand gel, it all dries out your skin.

Dry skin on the hands from excessive hand washing can make your hands red, chapped and painful. If left untreated, it can lead to contact dermatitis or psoriasis which can be exceptionally painful. Keeping a good hand cream by the sink to apply after you’ve washed your hands can help a lot.

If you notice that your hands are getting extra dry, our top tip is to apply a thick layer of hand cream before bed, and then put a pair of cotton-based socks over your hands while you sleep. It will help keep the moisture locked in overnight and by morning, your hands will feel much better!

side-view-of-hand-washing-with-soap-and-copy-space.jpg

8. Keep your brain engaged

During winter, it is common for people to retreat a little bit. There is less socialising and less motivation to do so. All of which is perfectly natural to do!

But one of the important things is to keep your brain engaged. If you’re not getting outside and talking to people as much, “ze little grey cells” must be stimulated in other ways.

Though winter seems to be when all the good TV shows come on, it’s a great idea to switch off the set occasionally. Alternate activities like reading, board games, card games and puzzles are all great ways to get you using your brain in new ways.

Challenging your brain keeps you alert and your memory firing, but it also provides a sense of productivity and achievement which is essential to keep us happy and healthy!

9. Stay connected

Loneliness was one of the biggest side-effects of the pandemic. Most of us felt the impact of loneliness to some extent, with people who live alone and vulnerable groups feeling it the worst.

Thankfully, we’re no longer locked down, but a regular winter can present its own loneliness challenges. For older people or vulnerable groups, getting out when the weather is cold and wet can be difficult, leaving them feeling isolated. Connecting to other human beings is a vital part of life a full and healthy life.

If you find yourself living a solo life in winter, try to reach out. Giving a call or video call to friends and family can really boost your spirits and cheer you both up.

In the wake of the pandemic, a host of loneliness busting call services have sprung up. Whether you want someone to call you or get involved on the other end, both will help you feel more connected and give you those warm fuzzies!

two happy women embracing hugging connecting

10. Be kind to yourself

Our final winter health tip is pretty simple – be kind to yourself!

Winter in the UK can feel very long and very hard. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to maintain the same levels of energy you have in the warmer months.

Sometimes, getting through it is the most we can do and that’s just fine. 

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