Can you feel the chill in the air? To beat a Game of Thrones reference to death, ‘winter is coming’ and I’m still not ready. After such an unseasonably warm Christmas, it seems almost wrong to complain, but I consider it my right as a British citizen to moan about the weather.
Recently Bensons for Beds got in touch to find out my top tips** for keeping the family healthy in winter. They had conducted a study around the impact of sleep deprivation on the immune system, and wanted to hear from real families about our wellbeing habits.
How to Keep Healthy in Winter
When it comes to staying healthier in winter, I’m a big one for layering the kids up in vests, thermal tops and jumpers. I know there’s no viral link between cold weather and the cold bug, but I also know that an exposed chest often leads to the sniffles. And it’s a slippery slope from sniffling and sneezing to full-blown flu.
I’m also obsessed with keeping our immune system in tip-top shape and swear by 1000mg Vitamin C reinforced with zinc.
But my number one tip for keeping the whole family healthier is simple: get more sleep! We’re all night owls (and owlets), so it’s a real challenge; but even shifting bedtime back half an hour can make a huge difference.
The added bonus is the babes are far less grumpy in the daytime after a solid night’s rest.
Some more items on our Winter Health checklist:
Exercise — Tricky when all you want to do is snuggle under a duvet with a hot water bottle. But even short bursts of energy, anything from a spot of vacuuming, to my favourite — busting some moves with a hula hoop — can improve your health, and warm you up too!
Fresh Air — The Scandis have the right attitude: bundle up in winter cosies and then get outdoors for a blast of fresh air. Helps revitalise the system and keep those bugs at bay.
Winter Soups — If salads don’t appeal to the kids, chuck those winter veggies in a blender and make some nutritious soups and smoothies. Simple way to get your 5 a day.
Bed Socks — As the temperature drops, I send the babes to bed with socks on and it definitely improves their sleep. Also if your little one has a chesty cold and cough, try applying a vapour rub on their feet and putting them in bed socks. I’ve not tried this remedy myself yet but several mums I know vouch for its super powers.
For more ideas from some other fab bloggers, check out the Winter Sleep and Family Health Tips on Bensons for Beds blog!
**Collaboration with Bensons for Beds
Some fabulous tips Uju! I love the socks in bed, might try with my girls too. sticking to your exercise routines is vital too, and sleep is another very important thing. Off to check Bensons for beds blog post now!
Love all this and now wish I had vapour rub to pop on theirs and mine feet tomorrow-off to the shops I go! So right about vits and exercise too, being colder, it’s harder to motivate myself and them to get outdoors but we always feel so much better for it. Those pics of the boys are some of the cutest I’ve ever seen (and they always look gorgeous). Mwah x
Aww I love that picture, so cute finding them asleep with their Poohs. Yes exercise and outdoors are great but today I’m so tempted to burrow down for the winter, it is cooooold! x
Yes the vapour rub tip is fascinating, i use it on the boys chests and backs at night which helps but haven’t tried the feet thing yet. Getting the right sleep is essential, I’ve not made a great start on that yet this year but slowly trying to get there! x
That sleeping pic is melting me! How adorable do they look?! Some fab tips here – had not heard of the vapour rub on feet – must try that one. And yes exercise is key – but I have to admit that I get slack in the winter months – cannot bear the cold! But must make myself go to my yoga class as it makes me feel so much better. xx
I’m the same Nomita, so tough to get moving when it’s freezing – although I always feel better for it when I make the effort! Yoga is on my agenda for 2016 so I’ll let you know how that goes ;-)