Winter Wellness Guide: How To Prepare Physically, Mentally And Emotionally For Cold Season - Expert's Tips

The winter season means cuddling under warm blankets and sipping your favourite hot chocolate. But the cold months also lead to health issues like flu as well as cause physical and mental lethargy. An expert shares with us an overall wellness guide for winter months.

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It's the season of chilly winds, warm blankets, Christmas parties and hot chocolate - the year-end has arrived and the winter season is upon us. While the cold weather brings with it its own charm, it also marks a period of fewer activities which can lead to physical and mental lethargy, along with an increased chance of catching cold and flu. Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan, Head, Wellness and Wellbeing, Columbia Pacific Communities, presents a guide to winter well-being, and shares how one must prepare physically, emotionally, and mentally to sail through the cold weather

How To Prepare For Winters - Key Points

Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan shares the following key tips that are essential to navigate winters: 

1. Considering outdoor activities are less during winter, it's best to avoid consuming heavy, oily foods that can slow down your digestive system and cause unwanted fat storage. It can put unnecessary stress on your knees and feet.

2. During winter, indoor gatherings increase the risk of flu and contagious diseases. So, improving one's immunity through the right kind of balanced nutrition, sleep, and activity is essential.

3. For elders whose immune system is in the waning mode, vaccinations against influenza and pneumococcus should be done. 

Prepare Yourself For Season Change

Dr Mahadevan suggests adhering to the following steps at physical, mental and emotional levels:

At Physical Level: 

1. One needs to eat food that keeps one's inner warmth, like freshly prepared warm food including the right spices.

2. Early dinner with light soups helps sleep well, supporting the immune system.

3. Wear something warm, such as thermals, all through the winter, to avoid the chill factor caused by sudden rains and temperature dips.

4. Maintain a good rhythm when it comes to the daily routine with the right amount of exercise under the sun to get the daily dose of vitamin D and improve bone health.

5. It is recommended to pair dry fruits native to a specific region with dishes that complement their flavours.

At Emotional Level:

1. With less sunlight and few outdoor activities, one gets into a gloomy mood and may even feel low if there is an underlying predisposition. So it is always better to include some outdoor activity to address this. One may take up gardening activities in the balcony garden or outdoors when the sun is shining.

2. Artistic activities such as listening to music, painting, etc., complement expressing emotions in a healthy way.

At Mental Level:

1. Social interaction through small gatherings and meaningful activities such as book reviews, book reading and debates on certain topics of concern help stimulate mental activity. 

2. Mindful movements like yoga, taichi and qigong can bring much more awareness and clarity to the mind. These can be part of everyday routine and do not require stepping outdoors.

"Seasonal change should be met with celebration of one's inner adaptation. Let us live the season fully with awareness to enjoy life holistically," Dr Mahadevan signs off.