Wonderfully Simple (Yet Wildly Effective) Winter Wellness Tips

It’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits when the weather gets cold. Between limited daylight hours and holiday noshing, anyone can pack on the pounds. But it doesn’t have to happen that way. By following Advantage Care’s five winter wellness tips, you can stay healthy and get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions all at once.

How to Maintain Wellness All Year Round

1)      Set Realistic Wellness Goals

The first step to improving your overall wellness is to sit down and figure out exactly what you want to accomplish and what you can do to achieve those goals.

Focus on setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) goals that will help you stay on track through spring.

Instead of trying to make massive changes, don’t be afraid to start small. Over time, you will be able to tackle our toughest winter wellness tips.

2)      Get Active (Even Though It’s Cold Outside)

Once you have a wellness plan in place, it’s time to put down the remote control and put that plan into action.

Easy Ways to Get Fit this Winter

• Perform simple exercises, like push-ups and sit-ups, at home
• Walk for exercise (when the weather permits)
• Do Yoga or Meditate

As you exercise, remember to follow these recommended government guidelines for physical activity:

• Adults will gain the most health benefits when they do the equivalent of two-and-a-half hours to five hours of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week.
• Children and adolescents ages six through 17 years of age should do one hour or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day.

3)      Eat Right (Even Though It’s Hard During the Holidays)

For a lot of us, the holidays tend to be a season of gluttony. Then by the time New Year’s rolls around, our healthy lifestyle dreams have all but been long forgotten.

Although following winter wellness tips is easier said than done, eating right is always the best policy. Instead of gorging on sweet treats this winter, focus on adding fruits and vegetables into your diet. Little changes like this will put you in a good position to achieve your healthy living goals.

4)      Take Steps to Maintain Mental Wellness

As you get on the path toward total body wellness, it’s important not to forget about mental wellness, because it has a very powerful effect on how you feel.

Quick Tips to Stay Mentally Fit

• Practice positive thinking
• Maintain social relationships
• Reduce stress levels

5)      Get Enough Rest (Even When Life is Busy)

The least active (but not least important) of our winter wellness tips is to make sure that you are getting enough sleep at night.

Most adults should get seven or more hours of sleep every night, which gives the body enough time to repair itself. Children and teenagers benefit from receiving an hour or two more than adults.

To make sure you get ample rest, try making basic lifestyle changes, like limiting screen time and caffeine consumption at night.

Get More Winter Wellness Tips from Our Health Care Professionals

Advantage Care, Long Island’s premier Federally Qualified Health Center, provides comprehensive medical, dental and mental/behavioral health services to children and adults. Our compassionate health care professionals are available today to help you achieve your wellness goals.

Contact us today to request an in-person or remote tele-health appointment.