Winter can be a poor time for your health in many ways. The dark mornings and evenings can make you feel imbalanced, while the arrival of flu season can spell trouble for many. Winter is a time to take better care of yourself and take steps to ensure you stay happy and healthy throughout these long months.

Stay focused on self-care this season by learning to improve your winter wellbeing.

Don’t alter your routine

During the summer months, you can feel much more energized and productive, filling your days with activity. Why should that stop in winter? Just because it’s dark outside, doesn’t mean you can’t get up and enjoy your morning yoga session, spend time outside and enjoy a fulfilling day. By continuing to do things like working out, classes and seeing friends and family, you can help yourself to stick to a routine that isn’t affected by the season. Remember to take a day for yourself once in a while to help you get your mind and body back on track.

Eat a healthy, vitamin-rich diet

Your immune system takes a hit during the winter, and viruses are easily spread through work and other environments. You can help your body to boost its defenses by making sure you eat a vitamin-rich diet consisting of fruit and vegetables, proteins and other nutrients to give your body what it needs to keep sickness at bay. Soup is a great food to make more of as part of your winter diet, so take a look at some super soup recipes to help you give your body more of what it needs this winter.

Learn to self-medicate

It can be tempting to run to the doctors at the first hint of a cold, but there’s not much that they can do for you. Most winter illnesses are viral, meaning antibiotics won’t help you. A visit to the pharmacist instead of your doctor will help free up waiting rooms for patients with real health emergencies, and you’ll be able to treat yourself at home. Of course, for serious health conditions, don’t hesitate to search for ‘urgent care center near me’ to get you the urgent care you need. Stock up on common cold-fighting supplies so that you have everything you need should you be struck down by a cold this winter.

Get plenty of sleep

While the festive season usually leads to a more active social life, you’ll soon feel the effects if you don’t get enough sleep. Sleep is important to help your body recharge, and will be one of your best defenses against winter illnesses. Find ways you can get to sleep before midnight and feel rested this winter.

Of course, the opposite can happen with sleep and you could find yourself sleeping too much through the winter months. While the dark mornings can be a good excuse to enjoy an extra hour in bed now and then, taking to sleeping the days away isn’t the best thing for your mental health.

The colder weather will soon be here, and taking steps to improve your wellbeing now can help you ensure a happier and healthier winter.

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