Winter is the season to slow down and conserve your energy, a time to rest and replenish. However, the cooler months often invite the tendency to become stagnant, eat heavier foods, get less fresh air and sunlight and neglect exercise. It is important to acknowledge and honour the natural cycle of our seasons, and implement simple practices which can help to maintain your health and wellbeing throughout winter.

1. Adequate sleep
   
   It is well known that sleep is an important biological function essential for life. Sleep is crucial for supporting physical recovery and repair, brain development and cardiac function, as well as improving learning, memory and mood. Without good quality sleep, you are likely to have problems with thinking, concentration and the ability to perform daily tasks. Long-term insufficient or poor quality sleep can contribute to significant health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and poor mental health. Sleep disruptions in winter can occur when you sleep too much or too little. This can arise from changes to your sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm), due to decreased sun exposure. Therefore, it is important to keep a regular sleeping schedule, expose yourself to sunlight during the day and practice sleep hygiene practices. These practices include limiting light exposure before bed, going to bed and waking up at the same time, and making sure your sleeping environment is quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature.
   
   
2. Physical activity
   
   Partaking in regular physical activity in winter can help support your mood. Both exercise and natural light can trigger the release of endorphins – your body’s feel-good chemicals. If exercising outside is hard, then try joining a local gym or exercising inside. Exercising also allows our body temperature to increase naturally, keeping you warm in the cooler weather. Regular practice of adequate intensity exercise is considered a helpful tool to strengthen your immune system. Acute exercise (moderate-to-vigorous intensity, less than 60mins) is now viewed as an important immune system adjuvant, stimulating the ongoing exchange of highly active immune cells between the circulation and tissues (Nieman 2019). Moderate intensity exercise has also been associated with a decreased risk of getting sick (Nieman 2019).
   
   
3. Eating habits
   
   Adjusting your eating habits during these months has many benefits for your health. Energetically, warming foods such as soups, stews, cooked vegetables and warm teas are more suitable, while aiming to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season. Eating a wide variety of plant-based foods, wholegrains and protein provides your body with the nutrients it needs to optimise immune function during winter.
   
   
4. Prioritise sun exposure and maintain your vitamin D levels
   
   Sun exposure is important for a number of reasons, especially in winter. It provides warmth, supports your mental health and is required to help regulate your sleep-wake cycle. As the days become shorter and darker, it is easy to see why vitamin D deficiency is so common in Australia during winter. At the end of winter, approximately 36% of Australians are vitamin D deficient (Clinical Labs). Vitamin D plays a functional role in supporting your immune system and mental health, both of which can be impacted during winter. To ensure adequate levels of vitamin D, approximately 25-50mins of sun exposure is recommended for moderate fair skin, at either 10am or 2pm daily between July and August (Working group). In some cases, supplementation may be required to maintain vitamin D levels throughout winter.
   
   
5. Stay social
   
   Social connections come with many benefits, especially in the winter months. Being social can help promote a better mood, reduce the feeling of isolation and improve overall health. Although the colder weather tempts us to stay indoors, it is important to still partake in regular social engagement to support your mental and emotional wellbeing.
   
   
6. Support your immunity
   
   There are many herbs and nutrients that can be used to support your immune system this winter:
   • Vitamin A – supports mucosal surfaces and their secretions and the function of the immune system
   • Vitamin D – modulates both innate and adaptive immune responses
   • Vitamin C – contributes to immune defence by supporting various functions of the innate and adaptive immune system
   • Zinc­ – crucial for the development and function of immune cells
   • Probiotics/ prebiotics ­­– your gut microbiome is a fundamental component in regulating immune function
   • Beta glucans 1/3, 1/6 – help to modulate immune function and have shown to be protective against infections

Sources

• Nieman, D. C., & Wentz, L. M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body's defense system. Journal of sport and health science, 8(3), 201-217
• https://www.clinicallabs.com.au/about-us/doctor-media-releases/patients-vitamin-d-levels-drop-significantly-during-winter/
• Working Group of the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, Endocrine Society of Australia and Osteoporosis Australia.
• Vitamin D and adult bone health in Australia and New Zealand: a position statement. MJA 2005; 182: 281–28. Sleep Exercise stress diet lifestyle Immunity Zinc Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin A winter