Simple steps may help reduce your risk of illness this winter (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)
A doctor has shared three straightforward tips that could help you avoid illness this winter or recover more quickly if you do become unwell. Cold weather alone does not cause sickness, but winter conditions can make it easier for colds, flu and Covid-19 to spread. Regular handwashing, eating a balanced diet rich in vitamin C and avoiding close contact with people who are ill can all help reduce the risk of infection.
Dr Sophie Newton, a GP from West Yorkshire, regularly posts health advice on social media, reports the Mirror. In a recent TikTok video, she said: “Here are three simple hacks that might help you avoid getting ill this winter, or get you better quicker if you do so.”
Cold weather may increase the chance of becoming ill (stock image) (Image: Getty)
Dr Newton’s first tip focused on nasal breathing. She explained: “Your nose is a brilliant filtering system. It traps some of the bugs you breathe in and warms and moistens the air before it reaches your lungs. So get into the habit of breathing in through your nose rather than just your mouth.”
Her second recommendation was to protect the nose from the cold. “You can’t catch a cold from just being cold, but some cold viruses multiply faster at cooler temperatures, so keeping your nose warm can actually slow them down and give your immune system a better chance to fight them off,” she said. “So kind of pull that scarf over your nose and mouth when you’re outside.”
For her third suggestion, Dr Newton recommended using a salt-water nasal rinse at the first sign of a cold. The process can clear mucus, allergens and irritants from the nasal passages and sinuses, while also reducing inflammation. It may help ease symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, dry cough, facial pressure, facial pain and a reduced sense of smell or taste.
“It’s been shown that that can help clear the virus from the nose faster, and you’ll get better quicker,” Dr Newton said. Nasal-rinse kits are available from pharmacies, health retailers and online stores.
Summing up her advice, Dr Newton said: “So, they are three little things worth doing this winter.”
Dr Samantha Wild, from Bupa, has identified three main reasons viral infections tend to be more common during winter. The first is that people spend more time indoors.
“Being in close contact with one another during the winter months means viruses can spread more easily from person to person,” she said. “Viruses can move through the air in droplets when you sneeze or cough.
“They are also spread by hands or may live on contaminated surfaces like door handles. This means that crowded or enclosed spaces, such as public transport, schools and the workplace, are the perfect breeding ground for viruses.”
Second, certain viruses survive more effectively in cold, dry conditions and in environments with limited sunlight. Third, the body’s natural defences may be less effective in colder weather.
“Your nose and airways are lined with mucus and tiny, hair-like structures called cilia,” Dr Wild explained. “They act as a barrier by trapping viruses that you breathe in and moving them out of your airways.
“Your mucus also contains antimicrobial substances that help to protect you from disease. But breathing in cold, dry air during the winter months can affect the mucus and cilia lining your nose and throat, making them less efficient. So, if you do come into contact with a virus during the winter months, your body’s defence mechanisms may not be as good at fighting it off if you’re cold. This is especially true as we grow older because our immune systems become weaker with age.”
Make sure our latest headlines appear at the top of your Google Search by selecting us as a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google Search settings
