Tips for Surviving the Winter Season with a Chronic Illness
The winter season can bring about the holidays, cold temperatures, severe weather, infections, and much more. With the significant drop in temperatures across the country, people with chronic illnesses must take the proper precautions to protect themselves. Cold weather can cause common chronic illness symptoms like pain, swollen joints, and fatigue.
With this in mind, dealing with the winter season can be challenging for some patients with chronic illnesses, which can affect their physical and mental health.
So, to get through the winter season, here are eight tips to help manage your chronic illness.
Wear multiple layers of clothing
Staying warm is one of the most important ways to protect your body during the colder seasons. Therefore, it’s recommended that you wear several layers of clothing to maintain your body temperature whenever you leave the house. A benefit of wearing multiple layers is that if you ever get too hot, you can easily remove a layer or two and still be warm.
The types of clothing you can wear to stay warm can include:
Thermal shirts, leggings, and underwear
Beanies
Scarves
Gloves
Ear muffs
Boots
Fleece
Insulated coats and jackets
Use heated blankets and heat packets
In need of some extra warmth while relaxing in your house? Or are you experiencing painful symptoms and looking for relief? Heated blankets and packets can provide quick relief and warmth during any time of the year but can be especially helpful during the winter. Many heated blankets allow you to adjust the temperature to your preferred heat level and come in various sizes for your needs.
In addition, heat packets can aid in pain relief if you need to apply heat directly to a particular area of your body. Another benefit of heat packets is increased circulation, as they promote blood flow throughout the body.
Please avoid placing heat packets directly onto your skin. Instead, wrap the heat packet in a towel or other material to prevent burns.
Stay physically active
The drop in temperature can discourage many people from engaging in physical activity outside. While taking a morning walk may no longer be of interest to you, there are plenty of ways to stay active from the comfort of your home. The exercises don’t have to be demanding, but you’ll want to do something that gets your joints moving and your heart pumping.
Here are a few ways to get active at home with a chronic illness:
Yoga
Low-impact aerobic exercises like a stationary bike
Resistance training
Walking laps around the house
If your chronic illness is affected by long periods of exercise, take these things slowly, and don’t be afraid to take breaks when needed. Speak with your doctor to ensure you’re safely engaging in physical activity.
Get some vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin to take during the winter months. Unfortunately, many people with chronic illnesses are immunocompromised, making them likely to get sick more often. And, as many may know, the flu, COVID-19, and the common cold spike during the colder seasons. With this in mind, it’s essential to protect your immune system from infections and viruses by taking Vitamin C. Vitamin C can help control infections and viruses while also speeding up the body’s healing process.
You can take vitamin C supplements or eat certain foods like oranges, tomatoes, and broccoli, which all contain high amounts of vitamin C.
Prepare for severe weather
As mentioned before, the winter season is known for causing severe weather conditions, which can lead to freezing temperatures, snow and ice, school and job closures, and more. Preparing for extreme weather can ensure you have everything you need at home if something happens.
So, if you know that severe weather is coming your way, you can:
Make sure that all of your prescriptions are refilled.
Stock up on groceries and personal care products.
Buy warm clothing and blankets.
Have an evacuation plan in place.
Stay hydrated
Although the weather may no longer be hot, staying hydrated is crucial regardless of the temperature outside. Dehydration can occur during the winter, so it's essential to drink plenty of water and eat water-rich foods throughout the day.
Get vitamin D levels tested
Because there’s less sunlight during the winter season, your vitamin D levels are much lower. Vitamin D helps strengthen your bones and assists with other body functions, like your muscles, nerves, and immune system. In addition, consuming enough vitamin D can help with inflammation in the body, which is common among chronic illness patients.
A lack of vitamin D can increase pain in your muscles and bones, cause fatigue, and potentially lead to depression.
To ensure you get enough vitamin D during the winter months, visit your doctor to test your levels. If your test results reveal that you are vitamin D deficient, your doctor may recommend supplements or encourage a diet that contains foods high in the nutrient.
With Chronius Health, you can keep track of all your medical history, such as vitamin D levels, in one place. Sign up for our waitlist to be one of the first users to access our platform designed for patients managing complex chronic illnesses.
Take care of your mental health
Staying in the house for extended periods and managing the symptoms of your chronic illness can be lonely sometimes. In addition, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood disorder that happens simultaneously every year, commonly occurs in winter.
It’s essential to prioritize your mental health during the winter season. Whether talking to your friends and families, binge-watching your favorite series, or listening to music, try to find activities that comfort you. Of course, your mental health is important regardless of the season, but the winter months can bring challenges as a chronic illness patient that may require some extra self-care.
If you believe you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, speak with your doctor to get professional medical advice.
How Chronius Can Help
If living with chronic illness feels like a full time job, you aren’t alone.
That’s why at Chronius, we make it easy to navigate the healthcare system as a patient. Our online care management platform brings together all of your health records and offers a 1-click appointment prep tool that easily synthesizes your health story for your care team. You also can track all of your symptoms, identify trends, learn from vetted medical information, and follow a custom patient journey map. Plus, if you needs hands on support, our Care Advocates are available to help you with any issues you may hit up against. Personalized support as you navigate your care journey is what we are all about.
Interested in learning more and signing up for our waitlist? Claim your spot today.
