Practice News

Cold Weather

Cold weather can seriously affect your health, particularly for the elderly and very young children. As well as physical injuries from the increase in slips and falls due to the icy conditions, the drop in temperature can also affect your immune system. That’s why it’s also important that those with long-term conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes, take care of themselves in the cold weather as it can make some health problems worse.

Here are a few things you can do to keep yourself safe and warm during the cold weather.

• Stay as warm as possible, this can be by heating your home, or rooms you are using to 18 Celsius.
• Try to reduce draughts.
• Keep windows shut at night.
• Wear multiple thin layers of clothing.
• Have regular hot drinks
• Avoid exposing yourself to the cold outdoor conditions.

During this period, it is important to check in on family members, friends and neighbours who may need additional support.

• Keep in touch with friends, neighbours and family and ask if they need any practical help.
• Make sure they have enough food for a few days, incase they cannot go out.
• A chat or seeing a friendly face can make all the difference in someone’s day, people can become isolated in their own homes during the cold weather.

For more information, please visit the NHS.UK website https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/keep-warm-keep-well/