Nov 28, 2022

Great tips for staying healthy & strong this winter

Winter is a tough season for everyone, but it's especially challenging if you're used to being active and outdoors. Here are some tips for staying healthy and happy during the winter months:

Stay hydrated

One of the most important things you can do to stay healthy this winter is to stay hydrated. When your body is dehydrated, it's much more difficult for essential organs like your brain and heart to function properly. This can lead to serious complications including overheating and worse case; heart failure. The best way to avoid these issues is by making sure that you get enough water every day.

When we say "enough" water, the general consensus is that drinking a minimum of eight 8 oz glasses per day is optimal. This amount keeps your body hydrated while also allowing it room for the occasional loss in sweat or urination without leading into dehydration territory (which isn't fun). Since even mild dehydration can have negative effects on your health, aim for this minimum daily requirement as often as possible. Even though it doesn’t feel like it, it’s easy to get dehydrated during the colder months when dry indoor air makes it harder for our bodies' natural cooling processes to work properly!

Listen to your body

If you're feeling pain, stop. If you're feeling like you're getting sick, rest. And if you feel like you aren't getting enough sleep...get more sleep or learn to improve your sleep hygiene ( see our recent blog post about 11 tips for better sleep)! If there's something that's causing discomfort or stress in your life, take time to address it now before it becomes a bigger problem later on.

Sleep enough.

Sleep is important for a number of reasons, so it's no surprise that getting enough sleep can improve your physical and mental health. The amount of sleep you need varies by age and other factors, but most adults should aim for around 7 to 9 hours per night.

It's easy to tell whether you're getting enough rest: if you feel well-rested after eight hours of sleep each night, then it's likely that your body is getting all the rest it requires. If not (and especially if it's been happening for more than a week or two) it may be time to reevaluate your sleep hygiene.

The benefits of adequate rest include reduced stress levels, improved moods, better memory function, reduced risk of accidents such as car crashes due to drowsiness while driving during daylight hours; less fatigue during the day...the list goes on! There are SO many reasons to get a good night’s sleep

Eat colorful foods

Foods rich in antioxidants have been shown to have a protective effect against colds and flu, so it's a good idea to eat foods that are high in these nutrients during the winter months. Some examples of colorful foods include:

Red-colored vegetables (such as peppers)
Yellow-orange fruits (such as mangoes and carrots)
Green leafy vegetables (such as kale)

Get some sun every day.

Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D, which helps prevent many illnesses and conditions. But you need to be careful about how much sunshine you get.

If you live in a place where the sun's rays don't shine on your skin very often, it's important to get enough sunlight every day so that your body can make vitamin D. This can be hard if it's cold outside and cloudy most days of the year!

Luckily, there are other ways to get vitamin D: eating certain foods like salmon (which contains omega-3 fatty acids), fortified milk and cereal products; taking supplements. Just always remember to wear sunscreen too. The sun's rays can also cause short and long term damage.

Add in some resistance training.

Resistance training is a great way to build muscle and burn calories, but it also improves body composition, balance and coordination.

It is thought that muscle burns more calories than fat, so building more of it can help you reduce your overall body fat percentage. It’s a good idea to start with some light weightlifting until you're comfortable with heavier weights. Try doing sets of 8-12 reps at first; once those get easy for you (after 3-4 weeks), increase the weight by 1 pound or so and go back down again until that gets easy too.

Be present when you're exercising.

In addition to staying hydrated, it's important to be present when you're exercising. Avoid distractions like the TV or music, in fact, it may be helpful to turn off your phone during a workout. Instead of focusing on how much pain you're in or how far away you are from finishing your workout, focus on what is going on in that moment: Your breathing and body movement. Use mindfulness techniques like counting breaths or focusing on one thing in front of you as a way to stay focused and keep your mind from wandering away from what's happening now.

Get a massage!

A massage is a great way to relax and relieve stress. Massages are also beneficial for the mind, as they can improve mood and make you feel more relaxed. The key is to find someone you trust who has experience in their field.

If you're going to get a massage treatment regularly (such as once per week), ask your doctor whether there are any precautions against doing so. For example: Some people should avoid massages if they have damaged nerves due to surgery; others should avoid them altogether because massaging could lead down roads that aren't advisable for their particular health situation (e.g., someone with high blood pressure or a pregnant woman should inform their practitioner prior so that no harm comes to the individuals involved).

Take up tai chi or yoga

If you're one of the many people who struggle with mild seasonal depression, it's worth trying an energy-clearing practice like tai chi or yoga. These gentle movements can help calm your mind and body while restoring your sense of balance and well-being.

Practices like these also encourage mindfulness: paying attention to the present moment without judging it or trying to change it. They also teach you how to be compassionate toward yourself when struggling with a difficult emotion, which can make all the difference when you're feeling vulnerable during this time of year.

If you live in a city, chances are good that there are local classes available where instructors will teach you some basic postures from these traditions, or even host drop-in sessions if there aren't any scheduled classes nearby!

Make sure you take care of yourself so you can thrive during winter

It's time to take care of your body.

Winter is a stressful time, and you may find yourself getting sick or feeling more tired than usual. It's important to take care of yourself so that you can thrive during winter. Here are some tips for self-care:

Make sure you're getting enough sleep each night (about 7-8 hours for most people...though if you need more or less, that's fine). If it's hard for you to fall asleep at night, try taking a bath with Epsom salts before bedtime or reading in bed with a low light on.
Eat healthy foods throughout the day instead of all at once at dinner. Eating balanced meals also keeps our immune system strong so we're less likely to get sick when times get tough.
Don't forget about exercise! Movement boosts energy levels while also helping us relax after a long day filled with stressful situations like rushing around town looking forward toward holiday season events (which may cause further stressors due to increased traffic congestion caused by holiday travelers who don’t want their plans ruined by weather delays!)...

Benefits of wearing compression apparel in the winter

Compression apparel is a hot topic in fitness and sports medicine. It's the latest thing in recovery, performance enhancement, and injury prevention. Compression therapy has been used by elite athletes for decades, but now it's available to anyone looking to get a leg up on the competition, help them recover faster after a hard workout or stay warm and safe during the winter months.

Compression Therapy for Muscle Recovery

✅Compression therapy helps to improve muscle recovery, which is the process of your body repairing and rebuilding itself after exercise.

✅Compression therapy is different from other forms of recovery because it uses a specialized piece of equipment called a compression garment, also known as a compression sleeve or compression support. The garment applies pressure to key areas of the body (leg or arm) in order to help increase blood flow (and therefore oxygen supply) throughout the body. This can help ensure that all muscles are receiving the nutrients they need after an intense workout. Muscle recovery is important because it allows you to be ready for another workout soon after your last one!

✅The right gear can also help with muscle soreness and cramping by providing gentle support while you're working out. Some people may find that wearing this type of gear makes them feel like they have more energy than usual during their workouts. Isn’t that great news! **I’m a runner and although I realize it could be a placebo, I feel like I have greater spring in my step when I’m wearing compression socks!

✅Compression products can come in different colors and styles so you'll always have something fun to wear while getting fit! Check out MendMeShop’s compression socks as a great example!!

Improved Blood Circulation

Compression wear can help improve blood circulation and encourage the flow of oxygen through your body. This will allow you to recover faster after a rigorous workout or activity, and it may also reduce any pain you might be feeling.

Blood circulation is vital to your overall health, especially when you’re exercising. When there isn't enough blood flowing throughout the body, muscles can become strained or damaged due to lack of oxygen-rich nutrients being delivered properly. In addition to helping with recovery post-workout and aiding in muscle growth and repair over time (especially when paired with an effective exercise program), wearing compression garments has been shown to potentially relieve pain from minor injuries such as sprains, strains and bruises!

Less Muscle Strains and Sprains

Compression apparel helps reduce the risk of muscle strain, which can happen when muscles are stretched or torn. It also helps reduce the risk of muscle sprain, which happens when a ligament (the tissue that connects bones to other bones) becomes overstretched or torn. Both injuries can be extremely painful and take weeks or even months to heal. When wearing compression apparel during winter sports, you’ll help to reduce your risk of these injuries and continue to have fun over the winter!

Pain Relief

Compression gear is a great way to relieve pain, especially in your lower back. Compression can help reduce swelling, which often makes the pain worse. It's not just for athletes, it can also be beneficial for people who sit at desks all day and feel aches in their lower back or legs. Check out MendMeShop’s Back compression support as a great example of this!

Stimulated Skin Temperature

Compression apparel helps your skin retain heat by keeping the blood flowing, which keeps your heart pumping. This is especially beneficial for cold weather athletes who tend to be more prone to frostbite and hypothermia than most people. Wearing compression gear during exercise in cold weather may help save energy expenditure compared to when wearing non-compression clothing so keeping your body warmer for longer!

Improved Athletic Performance

The concept behind compression apparel is that due to applying pressure directly to your skin, there will likely be less swelling and more oxygenated blood being delivered to your muscles. This can help with recovery time after an intense workout or game! It is therefore considered helpful in the following:

Improved athletic performance.
Enhanced recovery.
Reduced muscle fatigue.
Increased blood flow and circulation.

It also increases endurance by preventing lactic acid buildup (lactic acid can cause pain and fatigue).

Reduced Lactic Acid Buildup

With compression apparel, the oxygenated blood that flows through your muscles is delivered more quickly and efficiently to where it needs to be. This means that there's less lactic acid buildup in your muscles. The same principle applies when you're in a cold environment: more blood flow means more warmth, so you won't feel as tired or sore after exercising outdoors on a chilly day.

Compression apparel is helpful for a wide range of sports, but it is especially useful for people who participate in winter sports. In the winter months, compression gear can help increase your body temperature and reduce muscle soreness after strenuous exercise.

Athletes who spend time outdoors in frigid temperatures should consider wearing the right kind of clothing before engaging in physical activity because this type of weather can have adverse effects on their bodies. Wearing an undershirt that provides support can help prevent injury while also keeping your muscles warm so they don't become stiff or sore during or after exercising outside on cold days.

✅There are many benefits associated with using compression wear during the cold season and using them can lead to fewer injuries while also improving performance on the field or court.

✔️It’s easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of winter. But if you take some time for yourself, you'll be well on your way to feeling healthy and happy this season. Stay well!

References

We pride ourselves on being thoroughly researched before we post blog posts, articles or webpages. Here is a list of references used to create this content:

👉Ref 1: 7 winter wellness tips to help you stay healthy, Nebraska Medicine University Health Center

👉Ref 2: 5 Winter Health Tips to Keep You Healthy and Happy This Winter, Coastal Urgent Care

👉Ref 3: 7 tips for staying healthy this winter, Gundersen Health System

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