5 winter illnesses and how to cope
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Last activity on 03/02/2023 at 15:26
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When winter arrives, there are some health problems triggered like asthma and painful joints. We give you here some tips to deal with cold weather ailments.
1. Colds
You can help prevent colds by washing your hands regularly. This destroys bugs that you may have picked up from touching surfaces used by other people, such as light switches and door handles.
It's also important to keep the house and any household items such as cups, glasses and towels clean, especially if someone in your house is ill.
Suggestion: In addition to the previous, try to stay healthy by eating right, taking vitamin C and exercising as much as possible.
2. Painful joints
Many people with arthritis say their joints become more painful in winter, though it's not clear why this is the case. Only joint symptoms such as pain and stiffness are affected by the weather. There's no evidence that changes in the weather cause joint damage.
Suggestion: Many people get a little depressed during the winter months, and this can make them perceive pain more acutely. Everything feels worse, including medical conditions. Daily exercise can boost a person's mental and physical state. Swimming is ideal as it's easy on the joints.
3. Tiredness and possible depression
As the days become shorter, your sleep and waking cycles become disrupted, leading to fatigue. Less sunlight means that your brain produces more of a hormone called melatonin, which makes you sleepy.
While it’s normal for all of us to slow down generally over winter, sometimes lethargy can be a sign of more serious winter depression. This health condition, known medically as seasonal affective disorder, affects around one in 15 of us but can be treated. If your tiredness is severe and year-round, you could have chronic fatigue syndrome.
Suggestion: Get outdoors in natural daylight as much as possible. Get lots of vitamin D, the main source is the sun, but if you can’t get it directly do it through food. Good food sources of vitamin D are oily fish (for example salmon, mackerel and sardines), eggs and meat. Vitamin D is also added to all margarine, and to some breakfast cereals, soya products, dairy products and low-fat spreads.
4. Asthma
Cold air is a major trigger of asthma symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath. People with asthma should be especially careful in winter.
Suggestion: Stay indoors on very cold, windy days. If you do go out, wear a scarf over your nose and mouth. Be extra vigilant about taking your regular medications, and keep rescue inhalers close by and in a warm place.
5. Heart attacks
Heart attacks are more common in winter. This may be because cold snaps increase blood pressure and put more strain on the heart. Your heart also has to work harder to maintain body heat when it's cold.
Suggestion: Stay warm in your home. Keep the main rooms you use at 21C (70F) and use a hot water bottle or electric blanket to keep warm in bed. Wrap up warm when you go out and wear a hat, scarf and gloves.