Wellness In Winter

As the seasons begin to change into the colder months, we are more likely to get colds and flu during this time. So, wintertime is a good time to focus on boosting our immune system and increasing our intake of vitamins. It is important to look after our immunity as this provides us with defense against viruses, diseases, infections and allergies. 

According to Holland and Barrett, 70% of our immune system is within our digestive system; this is due to trillions of gut bacteria living in your gastrointestinal tract. Sleep is also a vital factor in ensuring we stay healthy. So, read on to find out more.

Importance Of Sleep

There is a valid reason as to why you tend to spend more time in bed when you aren’t feeling too well, especially when your immune system is down. Lack of energy and feeling sleepy is our immune system telling us we have an infection. Sleep is therefore one of the best remedies for colds. We also tend to spend more time in deep sleep during this time, ensuring our immune system is under repair.

According to the Sleep Foundation, if we miss out on sleep we cannot release enough protective proteins, called cytokines. Also, our production of antibodies, which fight infection, declines if we do not get enough sleep. Dr Macciochi says: “Getting a poor night’s sleep can really jeopardize our immune system the next day.”

Sleep Hygiene: Why Is It Important?

If getting sufficient amounts of sleep is so important to our health, we need to look into the ways we can ensure a good night’s sleep. For instance, a good quality mattress made from TEMPUR® Material responds to your body's temperature, weight and shape for a deep and restorative sleep. There are different depths and sizes that can be chosen according to your personal needs.

Creating a little oasis in the bedroom is also important to ensure the quality of your sleep is more than just good. TEMPUR® pillows also come in a variety of feels, shapes and sizes to support your individual sleep needs as well as beds, sofa beds and luxury accessories providing that extra layer of comfort. Who doesn’t love a quality mattress topper or quality sheets that feel good on your skin? TEMPUR® also offer quilts that optimise your body temperature - what’s not to love?

Health Tips For The Gut

As well as sleep, our gut also needs taking care of to ensure our immune system is well looked after. There are a number of gut-friendly foods you should be aware of, including superfoods such as kale, blueberries and sweet potatoes. 

Other Superfoods:

• Beans
• Whole grains
• Nuts
• Salmon
• Acai berries

Probiotics are also a great way to boost the balance of good bacteria in the gut. These come in the form of live bacteria and found in certain types of food – for example, cultured dairy products and unpasteurised fermented foods. Some popular probiotic food sources include kefir, live yoghurt and pickles. 

Other probiotic food sources:

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Tempeh
• Natto
• Miso
• Kombucha

Prebiotics are also important to maintain a healthy gut - these are non-digestible foods that feed helpful bacteria formed in the gut. Some of these food sources include onions, garlic and bananas. So, keep your gut healthy and your mind and body feeling good by eating these foods.

Sleep well with TEMPUR® and make sure you keep your gut healthy this winter whilst colds are brewing!