It happens every year … the dreaded cold and flu season. Let’s make this the year you beat it, or at the very least shorten your time in bed! It isn’t always avoidable, but there are some beneficial steps you can take to prevent a cold or recover from one more quickly.
Prevention
The best defense is a good offense! Here are a few healthy habits that will get you started on the right path to wellness.
- Wash your hands with warm soapy water often—after using the bathroom and before you eat anything is a good start. Get in the habit of washing when you walk through your front door too. This will keep germs out of your home.
- Clean common surfaces in your home and at your workplace. Doorknobs, keyboards, phones, and car steering wheels are all places that germs like to hang out. We love this disinfectant spray for killing viruses while leaving rooms smelling fresh.
- Keep hand sanitizer in your purse or car so you can clean when you don’t have access to soap and water.
- Avoid those who are sick. You may love your aunt, but if she has a cold, you should just wave through a window.
Obviously, even the most diligent cold and flu warrior may still fall ill. So, what should you do once you start feeling sick?
Hydrate
Drinking enough water is essential to recovering from any illness, and seasonal bugs are no different. Staying hydrated not only flushes bad bacteria from your body, but it aids in over 70 bodily functions. Dehydration means your body isn’t functioning at peak capacity, and when your immune system is fighting off a virus, it can use all the support it can get.
Hot Tea and Honey
Hot tea feels great on a sore throat and can help open your sinuses. Add a little honey to your tea game. Not only is honey antimicrobial and antiviral, but the Mayo Clinic found that 1 teaspoon at bedtime has the same cough-suppressing properties as leading over the counter medication. Sounds sweet! 🍯
Supplements
Supplements might be great for preventing a cold, but they also can be useful for treating one. In addition to a good multivitamin, consider adding some immunity boosters like Vitamin C and Elderberry to your morning routine, before and during a cold. Immune-boosting supplements, like these gummies, will also help!
Get Enough Sleep
Feeling sick? Doctors always suggest plenty of rest! Getting a good night’s sleep can be tricky with a congested nose and achy body, though. Have a good nighttime routine to open your sinuses and relax you for bed. Drinking hot tea before bed can promote sleep and help your body wind down before drifting off. Even though your body might fight it, sleep gives your body the time it needs to recover.
Are you still tossing and turning after counting sheep? Melatonin is a great natural substance proven to help you fall asleep faster and to remain asleep. It is naturally produced in our bodies, and certain things, like low light and hot baths, can trigger its release. However, sometimes you just need a little more help, and that’s where a melatonin supplement might be helpful.
Stick with These Healthy Habits
Getting sick is the worst, and we sure hope you’re able to stay healthy and well. However, since illness is an uncomfortable part of life that we all end up navigating at some point, hopefully these helpful hints will allow you to heal more quickly.
Looking to incorporate more wellness activities into your home? Try a few of these ideas! Then, tackle other daily habits that lead to success.
