As the temperature drops and daylight becomes shorter, here are some actions you can take to stay healthy during the winter months:
Get your flu jab
Flu is more than a bad cold and can make you very unwell. Each year 15-20% of the population get flu and, as it is highly infectious, flu can be passed onto others.
Alongside good hand hygiene practices, vaccination is the simplest and most effective way of safeguarding against the spread of flu each winter.
It takes about10 days after you are vaccinated for you to be protected against flu so it is best to get the vaccine as early as possible.
Who else should be vaccinated? In addition to healthcare staff, the flu jab is recommended for those in certain ‘at risk’ groups who are at greater risk of developing complications from flu including pregnant women, people with chronic asthma, diabetes, chronic heart disease and the over 65’s.
What about children and carers? A nasal spray flu vaccine is offered to all children aged 2-5 years at their GP practice and to primary school children at school. Unpaid and young carers are also entitled to a free seasonal vaccination.
Take your breaks – Take a micro break
Taking your break replenishes your energy level, recharges you physically and mentally and supports your general health and well being. Regularly missing breaks can cause stress and fatigue to creep up on you so it is important that you get away from your work area for a break.
Throughout the day, you could also try a micro break which is a moment’s rest from what you’re doing, which lets you ‘reset’ your mind and re-start fresh.
How long is a micro break?
The answer is in the name – micro – but will also depend on the job you do:
• Take a 1-2 minute micro break following 20-30 minutes of sitting
• Change the way you are standing after 30 minutes of static standing
• If you sit for long periods: get up, move around if you can and stretch
• If you stand stationary for long periods: sit if you can, rest and stretch
• If you work in awkward postures or work physically, rest for a moment and stretch to improve your muscle balance and posture.
Why should I take them?
• They prevent tiredness and stress building up over your day
• They take very little time and you can develop them to become a healthy habit.
• Frequent recovery from low-level fatigue takes only seconds whereas recovery from high levels of fatigue will take up to several hours
• These tiny pauses give us the extra energy we need to work well throughout the day.
What can I do to take a micro break?
• Alternate or change the order of your job tasks
• Make a phone call and stand up if you’re sitting / sit if you’re standing
• Stretch at your desk or if you’re working with patients, take a moment out to stretch
• Fill up your water bottle or go to get a drink
• Step away from your work for a moment and take some deep breaths
• Walk to ask a nearby colleague a question rather than phoning or emailing
• Go to the printer that means you have to stand up and walk
• Break up continuous computer time with other tasks that make you look away from the PC and let go of the mouse
Treat micro breaks as you would an essential job duty and make them part of your daily routine.
Boost your fruit and vegetable intake
Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy balanced diet. They contain important vitamins and minerals that help to prevent disease as well as fibre which can lower cholesterol and aid digestion. Fresh, frozen, tinned or dried fruit and vegetables all count.
Increase your daily intake by trying the following:
• Add fruit to your cereal at breakfast
• Bring chopped fruit in as a mid-morning snack
• Include a bowl of salad or vegetable soup with your lunch
• For a mid-afternoon energy boost, snack on a bowl of raw carrots, peppers and cucumbers.
• Add a portion of vegetables to your evening meal
There are weekly fruit and vegetable outlets from Edinburgh Community Food at the Western General Hospital and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary offering a range of produce including their Take and Make Meal Packs which include everything you need to make delicious nutritious meals.
Drink plenty of water
Water makes up nearly two thirds of your body. Staying hydrated throughout the day can help reduce tiredness, headaches and mood swings. Other symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, lack of concentration and dark coloured urine.
The key to staying hydrated is to drink regularly throughout the day. You should aim for 6 to 8 mugs per day. Any fluid, except alcohol, counts although drinking large quantities of drinks containing caffeine can contribute to dehydration.
Use a water bottle: NHS Lothian supports the use of water bottles by all staff. To stay hydrated during work, use a lidded water bottle. Avoid confusion by labelling your bottle and store in a sensible but accessible location e.g. office, nurse’s desk. Bottles should be cleaned at the end of each day ready to be refilled with fresh liquid.
Don’t like the taste of plain water? Put fruity flavors into your water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice for a citrusy drink. You can also put your favourite fruits, veggies, and herbs in water. Get creative – try strawberry and cucumber or orange and blueberry water!
Use thirst as an early warning signal: Usually by the time you feel thirsty you are already slightly dehydrated and your performance will have been affected. Your thirst will usually reduce before you are fully hydrated so don’t stop drinking too soon. Don’t rely on thirst to tell you that you need to drink some fluid.
Pre-shift hydration: Working in a physical job or in hot conditions may mean you struggle to rehydrate during your shift so drink fluids while travelling to or from work for an easy way to boost pre and post-shift hydration.
Keep Active
Being active is essential for good health and it also contributes to positive wellbeing. Even a small amount of exercise can deliver some significant health improvements such as a reduction in the risk of heart disease and stroke, a lower risk of depression and a reduction in the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
Here are some suggestions for staying active during your working day:
Stretch and strengthen: NHS inform has
a number of resources for you to help you stay active throughout the year.
Stand tall: If you sit at a desk most of the day, try standing up every 30 minutes to take a break from sitting.
Use the stairs: Walk up and down stairs instead of waiting for the lift.
Walk more: Go for a walk during your break. A brisk 10 minute walk, either inside or outside, will leave you feeling energized. If you are a patient with us, and would like a longer walk, follow one of the Medal Routes identified across NHS Lothian.
