This winter I’m not getting a cold. Say it with us. It sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Now statistically speaking most of us will get at least one cold a year.
But who wants to be a statistic? It really doesn’t have to be that way.
With just a few changes to your home, hygiene and health you can stay strong and battle to keep colds at bay.
According to the NHS, colds are caused by viruses that can be easily spread to other people.1
You’re infectious throughout your symptoms, which usually take one to two weeks to die down.
Colds are spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which are thought to live on your hands and surfaces for 24 hours.2
If you have a cold you can start spreading it from as early as a few days before your symptoms start right up until your symptoms finish.3
To reduce the risk of catching a cold, the advice given by the NHS is:
The best ways to avoid catching a cold are as follows:
The symptoms of a cold may usually come on gradually over a few days and can last up to two weeks.
They include:
One of the most common symptoms is a blocked nose, which may often lead to a runny nose where the virus builds.
Your throat may get infected and feel painful, which may lead to some pain in the throat.
As the pressure builds up around your sinuses you may experience headaches.
As your body works to fight off the cold virus, you may find that your body and muscles ache.
Coughing is a common symptom of a cold as your body reacts to the virus.
Sneezing is another common symptom that can be bought on by the cold.
As with most viruses, you will often see a rise in your body temperature as your body fights off the virus.
This is usually down to sinuses being blocked and pressure building in and around your head.
A loss of taste and smell can be a common symptom of having a virus.
This can usually take from a couple of days up until a week to return.
We have covered the symptoms of a cold, but how do you prevent one? Read our top tips for winter wellness below.
Keeping your body healthy and immune system in peak condition is essential for staying well during winter. Here’s how.
Exercising regularly can help boost your immune system and make you less likely to succumb to the germs in the air.
You can keep your immune system ticking over with as little as 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day five days a week equating to 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
Examples of moderate-intensity activities:4
Generally speaking, you can do 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, which is considered to have the same health benefits as 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise.
For a more intense workout you can try:5
Supplements such as Echinacea or Pelargonium can help ease your cold.
Echinacea helps relieve symptoms of the common cold and influenza type infections, whilst Pelargonium will relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold.
Ideally, you’ll need to get seven or eight hours of good sleep a night to keep your immune system fighting fit.
It’s so important that you stick to a regular routine and sleeping pattern, as well as creating the right environment for a decent sleep.
That means no screen time right before you close your eyes.
Colds get passed on when you either touch the hand of someone carrying one or a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes or nose.
It can be hard to control in public places, but you can put your own prevention tactics in place at home.
Keep all surfaces in the home clean and fresh by wiping them down with disinfectant wipes or sprays.
Bugs and germs from cold and flu can stay on surfaces for up to 48 hours, so wipe down regularly.
Your top targets should be:
Use a disposable wipe, paper towel or kitchen roll. Don’t use reusable cloths or sponges as they’ll harbour germs.
Wiping down surfaces isn’t enough.
Think of all the other things we touch with our hands every day in the home.
Remember to disinfect:
Normally we clear mucus and germs through tiny hairs wafting them into our throat, where we swallow them.
When it’s cold though this process is slowed down giving viruses longer to dwell in your lungs potentially causing an infection.
Using a humidifier and keeping humidity levels in the home between 40 – 60 per cent can reduce the amount of time viruses survive in the air.
By staying vigilant you can reduce the chances of picking up germs outside the home too.
Keep sanitising or alcohol-based wipes or gel on you at all times and use regularly throughout the day.
Especially when you’re in public places.
Whenever you shake anyone’s hand, wash yours.
Biting your nails is a sure-fire way to ingest germs into your system.
It’s very simple, just kick this bad habit and stay healthy.
This might be easier said than done, especially over Christmas, but steer clear of the buffet.
You can’t legislate for other people’s hygiene.
If you see anyone double-dipping their crisps at a Christmas party, avoid that dip.
We know it sounds a bit weird, but you should actually avoid sneezing into your hands as they’re a common source of germs that can be easily spread.
It is thought that you should see your doctor or GP if your symptoms have not improved after three weeks.
You should also consider seeing your doctor if:
Last updated: 30 September 2021
Joined Holland & Barrett: Apr 2019
Masters Degree in Toxicology and BSc Hons in Medical Biochemistry
Bhupesh started his career as a Clinical Toxicologist for Public Health England, advising healthcare professionals all around the country on how to manage clinical cases of adverse exposure to supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial chemicals and agricultural products.
After 7 years in this role and a further year working as a drug safety officer in the pharmaceutical industry, Bhupesh joined Holland & Barrett as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate in 2019.