How to Keep Well This Winter

Winter doesn't just bring cold weather, it brings more time indoors with other people, drier heated air, and less sunlight, and all three make it easier to pick up a cold or flu bug. None of it is inevitable. Here's a practical, honestly-explained rundown of what actually helps.

The Basics That Actually Help

Keep your home and yourself warm, layering up before you head out rather than after you're already cold. A hot meal and warm drinks through the day help too. The single most effective everyday habit, though, is regular handwashing with soap and water, since most winter bugs spread through contact, not just the cold air itself.

Vitamins Worth Knowing About

Supplements aren't a substitute for a varied diet, but winter is exactly when a few nutrients are worth paying attention to.

Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. It won't stop you catching a cold, but regular supplementation has been linked to shorter, milder colds. Our Vitamin C guide covers the evidence properly, including what it can't do.

The B vitamins, particularly B6 and B12, contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to normal function of the immune system, alongside their role in the nervous system. Good sources include leafy greens, red meat and liver, and a general multivitamin will usually cover the gap for most people.

Zinc is essential for normal immune function, and unlike some nutrients, your body can't produce or store it, so it needs replacing through food or a supplement. Shellfish, red meat and legumes are useful dietary sources.

Manuka Honey in Your Winter Routine

A spoonful of Manuka honey straight from the jar is a pleasant way to soothe a tickly throat by coating it, and it's a genuinely nice addition to a warm drink. One thing worth knowing: honey's antibacterial properties have been studied in the honey itself, in a lab, not once it's swallowed, so a honey drink is a comfort measure rather than something that fights an infection directly. If you're stirring it into a hot drink, let the drink cool slightly first, since very high heat can degrade some of the honey's natural enzymes. For the fuller picture on honey and sore throats specifically, including what NICE and Cochrane evidence actually says, see our sore throat guide.

Don't Forget Your Joints

Lower temperatures can make joint fluid thicker, which is part of why joints often feel stiffer in winter. Gentle movement, a short walk or some light stretching, helps keep joints and muscles from seizing up, and has the added benefit of warming you up. Many people find alternating heat (to relax stiff muscles) and cold (to calm swelling) genuinely helpful, though what works varies from person to person. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bone and muscle function, which is part of why it's worth getting right through winter, though it isn't a direct pain reliever. For more on evidence-backed joint care, see our joint health guide.

Staying well this winter isn't about any single product, it's warmth, hydration, handwashing, a few well-chosen nutrients, and a bit of patience with your joints. None of it needs to be complicated.

Based on UK Department of Health and Social Care nutrient guidance and the Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims Register. Looking after your joints specifically? Browse our full Joint Health range.