6 habits of people who don’t get sick
Winter is a dangerous time. Although cold temperatures themselves don’t cause us to get sick, our winter habits invite the spread of germs and risk of contagion is high.
If you find yourself sick every winter, here are some useful habits of those healthy people to take up.
1. They get enough sleep
It’s easy to experience disrupted sleep during winter. When air is too cold, it will negatively affect melatonin production and cause the body's sleep cycle to be disrupted. However, research shows that people who sleep only five to six hours a night have a 30 per cent chance of catching a cold when exposed to the virus; those who get more than seven hours reduce their risk to 17 per cent.
2. They pay extra attention to hygiene
With more germs in the air, now is the time to stay conscious about where they may be festering. Key areas include bathroom door handles, taps, fridges, elevator buttons and public transport. Keep antibacterial wipes on you so whenever you touch a high risk surface, you can cleanse you hand before eating, or touching your face and eyes.
3. They exercise regularly
Winter is notorious for zapping our work-out motivation. However, exercise strengthens the immune system and makes you less likely to catch upper respiratory infections.
4. The get their flu shot
Flu shots, approved for all adults, are effective 50 to 60 per cent of the time in preventing the flu and may also reduce the severity of symptoms.
5. They don’t smoke
Cigarette smoke appears to damage the mucus membranes, which act as the frontline barrier to infectious agents, making smokers twice as likely to catch a cold and several times more likely to develop the flu.
6. They enjoy a drink
Harvard University School of Public Health researchers found that red wine was particularly protective against colds, probably due to the anti-inflammatory action of the phenol, resveratrol. Just keep in mind that drinking more than two glasses a day raises the risk for infections.
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