Three Things You Didn't Know Affect Your Health in the Winter Months

Every season is capable of providing some of the most beautiful weather in its own way. Winter is no exception. Cold days, white snowflakes, and the barren beauty of simplicity can be something exquisite if you can look past your frozen toes and your inability to breathe without a sharp intake of breath. Winter is lovely in its own way, and there is nothing like a white Christmas. However, winter weather does take a toll on your body in ways you didn’t realize were possible. If you’re looking to stay healthy this winter season, you need to focus on more than just avoiding the cold and flu.

Watch What You Wear

An ingrown toenail and gorgeous pedicure don’t go well together, so it’s time to learn how to avoid this kind of health hazard. Did you know your winter clothing can affect your overall health in terms of your feet, your skin, your eyes, and more? If you wear socks that are too tight, you can cause ingrown nails on your feet. You don’t want that, so be sure your socks are correctly fitted.

If you forget your gloves or to wear protective eyewear when you’re out and about, you might even cause yourself to experience some frostbite in your eyes. What you wear this winter is very important to how healthy you and your body parts are. It’s time to forget being stylish and fashionable first by putting comfort and good health first. You can worry about being stylish after you worry about your health.

SAD

It does mean what it says. SAD is an acronym for Seasonal Affective Disorder, and it’s a big deal. It’s entirely possible to suffer from SAD, and it’s not always something you can help. It’s when you fall prey to the winter blues. It’s cold, the sky is rarely as blue as you prefer, and it’s just so easy to feel down and out when you’re focused on this kind of weather. You might suffer from sudden anxiety and fatigue, irritability, and more.

Your job now is to focus on getting better even though there is no real way of knowing what might trigger this or if you’re not going to suffer. Most medical professionals feel there is a major factor between the level of melatonin and serotonin the body produces this time of year, so you’re going to want to get plenty of sleep, exercise, and even eat well to help avoid unhealthy levels of these chemicals in your body.

Allergy Issues

Most people associate their allergies with better weather. When the flowers bloom and pollen levels rise, you’re more likely to suffer from allergies, right? This is correct, but winter weather can also have a lasting effect on your allergy levels as well. You can suffer from allergies when the weather is cold and all your favorite plants are dead.

Unfortunately, your pet doesn’t stop producing dander. Your house doesn’t become immune to mold and mildew because it’s cold outside. In fact, sometimes these things can become more pronounced this time of year when you have your heat on more often, when you have more steam in the bathrooms from all that cold weather outside and warm weather inside, and your pets are spending more time indoors. Allergies can run rampant this time of year if you’re not careful.

It’s time for you to focus on your health, and what better way to focus on it than by knowing what might affect it in a negative manner? Your good health is something you can control if you know where to begin, and that is where you should focus. Know what can affect your good health this winter and focus on making sure you’re not ignoring what matters most.

Carol also is passionate about health and fitness and stays active on her free time. She enjoys hikes and participates in multiple marathons. She loves learning to new tips on health and enjoys sharing her knowledge with her readers