Winter is a time for wonderous holidays, great food, and snuggling near a cozy fire. Unfortunately, it’s also a time for sniffles, sneezes, and sluggish sensations. We’ve got a few cold weather health tips to help you establish a simple seasonal wellness routine. 

1. Make sunshine a priority.

When winter arrives, it brings fewer sunlight hours per day, and the lack of sun exposure can have a negative effect on your mood and energy. Research shows that sunlight releases serotonin in your brain, which can help boost your mood and energy levels. Moderate sun exposure can also help elevate your vitamin D levels, which is essential for good bone health.

So, you experience less sunlight during this season, try to find a few minutes each day to get some sunshine on your face. Here are some easy suggestions:

• Use your work breaks to get outside and take short walks.
• If possible, set aside a few minutes each day to work outdoors.
• Skip your typical gym session and get outside for a hike, bike ride, jog, etc.

2. Stay active.

The colder season can often make you feel gloomier and less like yourself, and staying active can help you beat the blues! Regular physical activity has more than just physical benefits. While it can help you maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your bones and muscles, physical activity can also have a powerful impact on your mental health.

Physical activity can help you:

• Keep your thinking and learning skills in tip-top shape.
• Reduce mental stress and anxiety.
• Keep your cognitive skills sharp as you age.

Not only is physical activity a fantastic outlet for stress and mental focus, but it can also help you avoid feeling down. In fact, exercising just 30 minutes a day can help your body release endorphins, which are your natural "happy hormones." Even taking short walks can help you stay energized and mentally positive.

Taking your daily movement routine outdoors, even just a few times a week, can help you double up on your winter wellness routine with added sun exposure!

3. Boost your vitamin D.

When seasonal sunlight hours dissipate, your vitamin D levels can drop. This lack of vitamin D can greatly affect your overall mood. Some foods naturally contain or have been fortified with vitamin D. To help keep you feeling your best throughout the winter, try adding some of these foods to your diet:

• Fish (like salmon, tuna, swordfish)
• Egg yolks
• Dairy and plant-based milks fortified with vitamin D
• Fortified cereals

It may be difficult for many people to get the necessary amount of vitamin D from food alone. That’s why it’s important to complement your diet with a vitamin D supplement or a multivitamin like XFactor+.^*

Not surprisingly, we’re going to mention sunshine again. Vitamin D production in the skin is your primary natural source of vitamin D, and spending time in the sun helps promote absorption. Now, just like most great things, you can definitely have too much of this one. Excessive sun exposure can be dangerous to your skin. If you plan on spending long periods in the sun, make sure you apply sunscreen or wear clothing that helps shield you from UV light exposure.

4. Maintain a healthy diet.

With so many comfort foods and sweet treats surrounding you during the winter months, it can be challenging to eat mindfully or get back into the healthier swing of things post-holiday indulging. But making a healthy diet a priority is vital to every wellness journey.

When you find yourself cornered by delicious, but not so nutritious foods, use these tips to help keep you on track:

• Fill up on fiber-rich fruits and vegetables before indulging in your seasonal favorites.
• Enjoy healthy food swaps that keep calories low and taste buds happy!
• Boost your water with sugar-free flavor to avoid high-calorie beverages.
• Eat slowly and listen to your body; it will let you know when it’s full.
• Don’t deprive yourself but do have treats in moderation.
• Use a smaller plate to help with portion control.

Once you survive the season of sensational foods, use Plexus Reset^™ to help reset your metabolism and wipe the slate clean! This 3-day nutritionally supported fast helps you refocus on your goals and sets you on a refreshed path of mindful eating. Combine Reset with TriPlex to elevate your journey even further by nurturing a balanced gut, which is the core of better health.^*

5. Keep a consistent sleep schedule.

As the sun takes a little longer to rise every morning this season, it can be tempting to sleep in right along with it. However, it’s imperative that you stick to your regular sleep routine even with the darker days upon you.

Getting adequate sleep helps your body recharge from daily stresses and helps improve your overall health. Even occasional sleep disruptions can derail your wellness routine. Maintaining a regular sleep cycle during the winter months is key to maintaining your well-being.

The reduction in sunlight hours during the winter can disrupt your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which uses your surroundings (like nightfall and daylight) as cues that it’s time to wind down or wake up. The following tips can help you stick to a healthy sleep routine this season:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every night and day.
• Commit to practicing healthy sleep hygiene.
• Create and stick to a bedtime routine that helps you relax.
• Supplement with Plexus Sleep® when you experience sleep disruptions.^*

6. Support your immune system.

With winter comes an increased risk of getting and spreading illnesses. Most people spend more time indoors, which increases the likelihood of sharing germs with one another, and research has shown that your immune defenses aren’t at their strongest in cold weather.

Sometimes, catching a winter cold or other virus is unavoidable. It’s important that you see a doctor when you’re not feeling well, stay rested, and help limit the spread of germs by:

• Washing your hands often and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds
• Adding an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to your routine
• Covering your coughs and sneezes with your arm or a tissue
• Regularly disinfecting your electronic devices
• Staying home and avoiding contact with others when you’re not feeling well

The topics we’ve discussed ― staying active, maintaining a healthy diet, supplementing with vitamins, and getting quality sleep ― are all important components of staying healthy during the winter (and all year long, for that matter). These efforts also help support a healthy immune system, which is the best way to defend your body and strengthen its response to intruders.

You can also give your immune system an added boost this winter with Immune+. This daily supplement helps support healthy immune system function and stimulates your body’s natural immune-defense system.^*

7. Set reasonable expectations.

The winter season is an infamous time for overextending yourself. Daylight hours are shorter, but it seems like you have more to do than ever. It can feel like you hardly have a moment to yourself.

Here are some tips to help keep you organized and handling stress like a pro:

• Make a to-do list with priorities first.
• Make time to unwind, even if you have to put it on your to-do list.
• When you get time to mellow out, make sure to include some relaxing activities. Listen to your favorite music, light your favorite scented candle, take a long soak in the tub ― whatever YOU need!
• Use tips 1-6 to help take care of your body and keep you feeling your best.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.