Winter is not most people’s favourite time of the year – as well as the colder weather and darker nights, it is also the time of the year when illnesses spread around, and we see a rise in many types of illness. This is something that many people are concerned about this year in particular – with social restrictions in the UK now lifted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, not only is coronavirus itself something that could cause a lot of illness over this period but there are also other illnesses in the mix that we see every year that are expected to make a resurgence.
There are many things that we can do to mitigate our risks of these illnesses – in the workplace, it is a good idea to keep our area as clean as possible and getting a professional like this office cleaning Cheltenham based company https://intocleaning.co.uk/services/office-cleaning-gloucestershire/office-cleaning-cheltenham in can be a great idea especially during the winter.
At home we should also be practising personal hygiene – washing hands regularly is something that is one of the most effective ways to prevent transmission of many illnesses. Self care is also important – during the winter you should take vitamins such as vitamin D as the reduced sunlight means that you will likely not be able to get enough of this naturally. Eating well and exercising are also particularly important during the winter months. Aside from Covid-19, here are three common winter illnesses to watch out for this winter…
Norovirus – The winter vomiting bug is responsible for much of the sickness that sweeps through the country during the winter months. It is highly contagious and often hospitals will shut down to prevent outbreaks of this illness, which is not deadly to most but can be to vulnerable people who are already poorly. Its main features are sickness and diarrhoea but also aches and pains as well as a high temperature can accompany it as the body battles the virus. The best way to treat norovirus is with rest and plenty of fluids as dehydration is a risk of norovirus.
Influenza – The flu is something that pops up every winter and this winter it is expected in high numbers. One thing that everyone who is in a vulnerable category or over the age of 50 should do is have their flu vaccination which will reduce the risk of catching it or suffering serious illness. Flu is a respiratory illness so symptoms include a cough and breathing difficulties as well as a high temperature, aches pains and extreme tiredness. Over the counter medicines like Paracetamol can help to alleviate some of the symptoms.
SAD – SAD, or Seasonal Affective disorder is a mental illness that many people suffer from in the winter months. The lower levels of sunlight affect the brain and cause symptoms similar to depression. As well as taking vitamins, many people who suffer from this use a lightbox to increase the amount of light that they receive each day.
