Wintertime can be hard on your health. These experts share tips to promoting self-wellness

Healthy lifestyle habits may be especially important during the winter months, according to experts. During these months, when it is more common for people to overeat and drink alcohol more, certain types of mental health issues and illnesses are also more common.

Health care specialists at the Franciscan Medical Clinic in Enumclaw and the MultiCare Center for Health Equity and Wellness in Tacoma General Hospital shared their tips to get through the winter with better day-to-day habits that promote a healthy body and mind.

Wintertime health trends

Jude Verzosa, senior medical director of primary care at the Franciscan Medical Clinic, told McClatchy that he sees a trend during the winter months where patients gain weight, and experience higher cholesterol and blood sugar levels. In addition, the body responds to cold temperatures by constricting blood vessels, which can increase blood pressure, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Dehydration is also a risk. Cold weather suppresses people’s thirst response by up to 40%, according to experts. One group that’s especially vulnerable to dehydration is the elderly. In addition, when the body doesn’t retain enough water to function well in cold weather, it can increase the possibility of developing hypothermia, Verzosa said.

Certain illnesses are more prevalent during winter months, according to Verzosa. He added that when the body is exposed to cold weather, it doesn’t function as effectively to combat viral threats. To illustrate how this happens, Verzosa points to a study published in December from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that found cold temperatures impact the body’s ability to fight off harmful viruses. The study concluded that when temperatures drop around 9 degrees Fahrenheit inside the nose, about half of the body’s sinus tissue is nullified.

“So they’re not just more abundant and seasonal,” Verzosa said. “We are more susceptible to [these viruses] because of biological and molecular change.”

Besides temperature, another aspect of winter to consider is daylight, according to Bev Utt, a culinary nutritionist at the MultiCare Center for Health Equity and Wellness.

There are fewer daylight hours during the winter, so people are often less active and fall into more sedentary routines. Lack of sunlight could contribute to seasonal affective disorder, including anxiety and worsening mental health. Additionally, it’s possible the disorder is connected to higher alcohol consumption, Utt said, though more research is needed.

It’s also possible that people aren’t receiving enough Vitamin D, which sunlight provides. Utt says the vitamin is important for reducing cancer cell growth, control infection, reduce inflammation and influence brain health.

Tips for winter health

There are easy steps you can take to modify your habits for overall health. Verzosa, Utt and websites geared toward health care sharing research lay out ways you can moderate your eating and drinking habits, avoid illness and improve mental health:

• Eat with others when you can. When we socialize while enjoying a meal, we may take more time to finish food. Socializing between bites can help dissuade overeating.

• A rule of thumb is to eat until you are around 80% full, Utt said, adding that concept derives from Japanese mindfulness principles and addresses overeating. The Cleveland Clinic also suggests that people should aim to feel satisfied instead of full.

• Utt says to “love foods that love you back” and focus on eating less processed foods and eat more whole foods closer to nature. Find recipes where you can integrate these foods into different kinds of meals. For instance, you can integrate beans into soup, chili and salads. Eating fruits and vegetables strengthens the immune system, which staves off illness.

• To get more Vitamin D, try foods such as fortified orange juice, yogurt, margarine and cow’s milk.

• To stay hydrated, consider adding flavoring to your water such as mint or citrus. Alternatively, you can pour a small amount of your favorite juice to water, or try sparkling water for something different.

• Implement illness prevention measures such as limiting contact with those who are sick, masking and vaccinating for applicable diseases.

• Adopt a more active lifestyle if you don’t already. Utt states that exercise may produce brain chemistry associated with positive moods. Mayo Clinic backs up this statement, reporting that exercise releases endorphins that improve mood and helps alleviate anxiety and depression.

• Exercise with others, which can make the experience more enjoyable. It can help increase motivation and help you stick to a plan, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Focus on finding something you enjoy doing. again, not two doctors

• Utt says to practice mindfulness to reduce stress. For instance, journaling is a great way to observe our thoughts and provide an outlet for our emotions.

No matter what your goals are, Verzosa says to make your goals measurable and to try incorporating them into your daily schedules. Set small benchmarks for yourself that you can gradually increase as you go.

Despite all the ways wintertime makes it harder for people to continue healthy lifestyles, Utt views the season as an opportunity rather than a hindrance.

“Some people tend to think winter is a difficult time to eat healthy,” Utt said. “But in fact, it’s a great time to kind of restore our bodies through nutrition and other means like exercise.”