KEY TAKEAWAYS
• It’s true — viral illnesses spike in winter due to a variety of causes like spending more time indoors, lower humidity and colder weather.
• New research suggests novel ways to boost your immune system, including using humidifiers and considering probiotics.
• Make sure to keep following tried and true disease prevention strategies like washing your hands and keeping up with recommended vaccines.
SUMMARY
Winter immune health is top of mind as viral illnesses are on their seasonal rise. Alongside evidence-backed standbys like washing your hands and getting your recommended vaccines, new research suggests novel ways to boost your immune system this season.
Winter Immune Health Strategies: Beyond The Basics
With colder weather comes a rise in these and other viral illnesses. Some of this increase is because people spend more time indoors, but other factors, like decreased humidity, also help viruses stick around in the air longer. In addition, cold weather may also mean that the immune response of your nose — one of the first barriers to viral illness — doesn’t work as well.
Fortunately, some exciting research is pointing to new ways to help you and your family stay healthy this season.
With cold and flu season raging alongside RSV and COVID-19, you might be feeling on edge as you try to keep yourself and your loved ones from getting sick.
Cold weather immune support
While studies are still emerging, researchers around the world are finding new links to immune responses that may help you fight the impacts of winter illness.
Indoor humidity and disease prevention
Humidity has known health benefits, especially in the winter, including thinning out mucous, easing irritation and keeping your respiratory tract moisturized. However, humidity drops outdoors in colder weather and also decreses indoors as heating systems dry the air.
One of the most exciting areas of winter disease prevention is new research on how humidity impacts the spread of illness, especially viruses like influenza, RSV, COVID-19 and common colds.
Beyond these benefits to your body’s respiratory tract, a new study points to antimicrobial properties of humidity indoors as reactive oxygen compounds can form and kill disease-causing viruses. Using a humidifier to keep your indoor humidity between 40-60% may help increase anti-viral compounds in the air.
Probiotics for immunity
Your gut contains many different species of bacteria, fungi and more that make up your microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome helps aid in digestion, such as helping your digestive tract break down nutrients. But it can also help your immune system by outnumbering harmful germs and increasing your ability to fight infections.
Probiotic supplements contain live microorganisms like bacteria and yeast that help support this microbiome in your gut, and emerging evidence suggests that probiotics can help your immune response. Speak with your physician to find out what probiotics are right for you.
Certain foods are also great sources of probiotics, including:
- Dairy like buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt
- Fermented foods like kombucha, kefir, pickles and sauerkraut
Make sure to look for foods that say “live and active cultures” on the label.
Vitamin D and immunity
Vitamin D is important for your immune system to function, but in the winter, when sunlight is limited, it’s harder for your body to synthesize vitamin D. Even in the darkest days of the year, though, you should be able to get plenty of vitamin D from your diet, including from foods like:
- Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese
- Eggs
- Fish like trout, salmon, tuna and herring
- Fortified beverages including orange juice and almond milk
- Mushrooms
- Soy milk
You also get adequate vitamin D from your daily multivitamin, if you take one.
While vitamin D helps your immune response, supplementing with additional vitamin D beyond your daily recommended value doesn’t have a significant impact on lowering your risk for acute respiratory infections.
If you have low levels of vitamin D, talk to your physician about safe ways to supplement. Taking too much vitamin D (more than 4,000 units per day) can be dangerous and lead to a condition called hypercalcemia, where there is too much calcium in your blood. Hypercalcemia can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting and, left untreated, kidney problems.
Tried and true strategies for preventing illness
Even while you add new tools to your arsenal for battling winter illness, don’t forget proven strategies for preventing the spread of disease:
- Wash your hands
- Get your flu shot and stay up to date on your recommended vaccinations
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
- Stay hydrated
And remember, if you’re sick, stay home to stop the spread of illness to those around you.
FAQ/People also ask
Why do we get sick more often in winter?
This seasonal increase in viral illnesses comes from a combination of factors, including more time spent indoors, decreased humidity and colder weather.
What are the best things I can do to avoid getting sick in the winter?
In addition to these more novel ideas to improve your immunity, remember your standbys for preventing disease, such as washing your hands and staying current on your vaccinations.
Can taking vitamin C stop me from getting sick?
Vitamin C won’t stop you from getting sick, but it can help your immune system function and decrease the duration of symptoms if you do get sick.
When should I see a doctor if I get sick?
Head to the emergency department immediately if you have trouble breathing. If you have a fever for more than 24 hours, contact your doctor.
