Top 10 winter hygiene tips

The winters are here and with it out come the sweaters, large, soft razais and heaters. But with all those arrangements to keep you warm this winter also come diseases like asthma, cold, cough, lung infections, chest congestion and other communicable diseases. One of the main reasons for this, is the fact that common hygiene practices tend to get ignored during this season. Our advice don't give up on these top ten hygiene practices that you simply must do this winter.

Air your room

It is biting cold outside and the closed cozy room you have set up for yourself suits you just fine. But did you know that there can be a million microbes in a constantly closed room? To add to that, they actively multiply in warm and damp spaces. What better than a preheated room, with plenty of places to hide? Moreover, a closed room has low circulation of fresh air, leading to it getting filled up with stale and unhealthy air.

This is exactly why you must make sure you air out your room every day. The best time to do that is when the sun is out. Leaving your windows and doors open for just a few minutes on a daily basis helps circulate clean air into the room, getting rid of bad odours, harmful organisms, dust and mould. To add to that, opening your windows lets in some sun shine. The UV rays in sunlight are the best disinfectant you can think of.

How it helps you: Having a clean and aerated room helps keep it free of common indoor pollutants like dust, dander and mould. This in turn reduces your chances of suffering from asthma, allergies, cold and cough. (Read: 10 asthma triggers you should avoid)

Wash your hands

This is quite a painful process during the winters, since the water is ice cold and often untouchable. But try using warm water to wash your hands the right way.

How it helps you: In the winters communicable diseases like cold, cough, laryngitis and pharyngitis are common; and washing your hands regularly is the key to avoiding getting sick. It is also essential that you do not touch your face with unwashed hands, as germs transferred onto your hands from fomites (inanimate objects like door knobs, door handles etc.) can cause infections.

Wash your woolens

We wear them all winter, and they don't get washed as regularly as they should. Woolens because of their very texture tend to attract dust (which includes flakes of your skin) and not to mention other bodily fluids like mucous. due to frequent cough and cold. Washing them on a regular basis is essential to ensure you stay fit all winter round.

How it helps you: Washing woolens, not only softens them, it also helps reduce the amount of dirt you carry around; protecting you from infections you might otherwise suffer from. Moreover the dust and dander that it collects can cause asthma, allergies, throat irritation and in some cases allergic rhinitis. (Read: Natural remedies for frequent cold and cough)

Sun your mattress/razai

Rarely thought of as something that needs maintenance, your mattress and razai needs to be disinfected as well. That is because when we sleep we shed flakes of skin that collect on the mattress and comforter. Apart from that sweat, saliva and other bodily fluids also tend to build up on them. Not cleaning this up regularly attracts dust mites, fungi and in severe cases mould formation. All these factors can be very dangerous for health and a hazard for people with asthma and allergies.

Since mattresses and razais cannot be washed the traditional way, there is a better way sunning it! Just put the mattress and razai in the sun, leave it out for a few hours and then take them back in. Remember not to leave it out after the sun has set, as this could lead them to become damp.

How it helps you: Sun light has heat and UV rays both act as natural disinfectants. Laying out your mattress and razai in the sun has other benefits as well they are lovely and warm when you get them back indoors, perfect for sleeping in.

Clean your heater

Coming to probably the most important aspect of staying warm your heater. No matter what kind you use, be it electric or otherwise you must ensure that it is cleaned regularly. After the heater is switched off is when it attracts all the dust and dirt. So wiping it down with a soft cloth can help a lot.

How it helps you: Cleaning it out every once-in-a-while is essential to avoid the spread allergens that can cause chest infections and asthma. Not to mention reducing their chances of emiting an awful smell that is a leading reason for indoor pollution.

Have a bath, regularly

It's cold and you really don't sweat that much, so why would you need to bathe? Well, not bathing is not only unsanitary it is also bad for your body. Contrary to popular belief, you do sweat, even during the winters. You also secrete sebum from your pores in fact a lot more than during other seasons because of the lack of moisture, you shed more skin cells due to the skin being drier and dirt gets caught in crevices of the body like behind the knees, traces of urine/faces in the genitals etc.

How it helps you: Bathing allows you to wash away the dirt, and gives the skin a much needed scrub. It also prevents any skin infections you might get because of being unclean. And most importantly it beats body odour! (Read: Tips to beat body odour)

Use lukewarm water to bath

While on the subject of bathing, it is suggested that you not bathe in hot water. This is because when your skin and hair is exposed to hot water, the pores open up and the capillaries just under the skin, dilate. This can lead to infections due to the clogging of pores. Also when you bathe in hot water and go back into the cold, the shock of the sudden change in the temperature is a lot for the body to handle. You will also notice that you feel colder right after a bath that is your body trying to adjust to the sudden drop in temperature. Therefore, it is advisable that during a bath you use water that is luke warm. If you simply must bathe in hot water make sure you gradually reduce the temperature of the water towards the end of the bath. This will help your body acclimatize to room temperature easily.

How it helps you: Very hot water affects the skin adversely causing it to react to extreme temperature changes, this constant and sudden change in temperature leads to excess drying of the skin and can lead to serious complications like numbness in the nerves of that area. Moreover, hot water on the hair makes it brittle and lifeless. Bathing in lukewarm water helps you beat all these side effects andstill allows you to enjoy the comforts of bathing amply.

Wash your hair

For people with long hair, especially women, washing your hair during the winters is nothing short of punishment. While most are quite particular about sticking to their usual hair wash schedule, there are some who prefer to put the practice off until absolutely necessary. For all those people, here is some news, washing your hair regularly can actually help you keep your locks healthy, clean and free of fungal and bacterial infections.

How it helps you: Washing your hair not only washes off all the grime from your scalp, it also helps in unclogging the pores of your scalp, reducing the itching and getting rid of any dirt you might have present in your hair. Another thing to consider is that during the winters your dandruff is likely to be in full spate, so regularly getting rid of excess skin flakes helps in reduce flaking and not to mention cleans the scalp of any fungal or bacterial infection you might have. So go wash your hair. (Read: Your winter mega guide for skincare, haircare, fitness and diseases)

Get some sun

It is really tempting to stay curled up in your blanket all winter, but getting enough sunlight is essential. Sunlight has a number or roles to play in how the human body clock functions. One of the most well known functions of sunlight is that it provides the body with essential vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of the most important components for over 1000 chemical process that take place in the body; the deficiency of vitamin D is also known to cause a number of diseases including rickets.

How it helps you: Apart from the vitamin benefits that sun light has, it has also shown to reduce one's susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB), rheumatic disease, gout, chronic ulcers and in some cases it can help certain wounds heal faster. Most importantly it helps boost your immunity, keeping those common winter diseases at bay. As per experts, one must get at least twenty minutes of early morning sun. Beware not to expose yourself to harsh sunlight as it can lead to diseases as well. So, sit out in the sun once everyday, it will not only help warm you up it will also keep you healthy. (Read: Vitamin D from the sun a boon for the critically ill)

Eat the right foods

Winter brings with it fatty foods, and with all the festivities around, it is but natural that you will indulge in that extra gulab jamun or dollop of gajar halwa. But eating right during the winters is as important as staying warm. Because of the drop in temperature and the prevalence of infections, it is essential that you keep your immunity strong.

How it helps you: Fresh foods, root vegetables and whole grains are rich in immunity boosting properties and are sure to keep colds, coughs and other communicable diseases at bay. (Read: Foods to beat the winter chills)

Image source: gcaffe.com, soulemama.com

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