Now that the snow has fallen and is sticking in Wisconsin, I’ve been thinking about what I need to do in order to stay healthy this winter.

First Snowfall That Stuck This Year in Madison, WI
Photo by Yasir Alhumaidan

Wisconsin seems to be getting colder and colder, and everyone around me seems to be getting sick. I’m worried about catching what they have. Next Friday is Live Music in the Lounge, a free concert that I have at WESLI. I can’t afford to be sick. 😦 And the holidays are coming up. Who wants to be sick for the holidays?

Here are some tips I found about how to prevent illness this winter.

1. Wash Your Hands Often
According to Glamour, when someone stricken with the flu touches something, those germs can stay alive up to eight hours! 😯 Yikes! Think twice before you decide to eat without washing your hands first!

2. Exercise
WordPress blogger, Morgan Craig-Broadwith recommends exercising because it helps strengthen your immune system. If you live in Wisconsin, then you know that getting sick often in the winter is not the only problem people in Wisconsin have. Many people also gain weight because of the dark, cold winters. If you exercise, you can solve two problems. Exercise to prevent sickness, and exercise to prevent weight gain.

3. Don’t Forget to Drink Water
According to Food Science of Vermont, if you don’t drink enough water, your immune system will start to weaken. When it’s summer, it’s easy to drink a lot of water because it’s so hot! But, in the winter, drinking water might not be one of your top priorities. I bring my water bottle with me everywhere to remind me that hydration is extremely important.

4. Sleep!
According to WebMD, there isn’t a specific number of hours that everyone should sleep in order to prevent getting sick because everyone is different. However, according to Dr. Diwakar Balachandran, the best thing you can do is “Go to sleep at the same time every day and wake up at the same time.” I find this really challenging to do on the weekends! 😳

5. Drink Green Tea
According to Natural News, it may be possible to increase your chances of avoiding illness by drinking green tea due to the antioxidants that it contains. I try to drink green tea at least once a day. What an easy way to make yourself warm on a cold winter day! Don’t like the taste of green tea? Try adding some honey to it. 🙂

There are many other tips out there about ways to stay healthy. I hope you find tips that work for you.

I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday!