Whether you look forward to the holiday season or want to avoid it entirely, there is no question that it is one of the most hectic times of year. People are attending parties, shopping for presents, baking cookies, and preparing for the big holiday feast. As a result, many people end up feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed. Unfortunately, this can deplete your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to the common cold and the flu.

Here, Dr. Nathen Horst discusses four ways to boost your immunity this winter.

Take Proactive Steps to Stay Healthy

The best way to stay healthy during the holidays is to follow some basic, common-sense practices that you probably first learned from your parents.

• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, even if you don’t think you are sick. Most cold and flu germs are transmitted by air, so this is probably the best way method of preventing respiratory illness.
• Thoroughly wash your hands after you use a public restroom. Public health officials recommend wetting your hands, lathering, scrubbing, rinsing, and then drying them. Doing this several times a day can prevent the spread of respiratory diseases and diarrhea.
• Wipe down common areas with disinfectants. This is particularly important in the workplace, in areas such as break rooms, bathrooms and any shared equipment, such as phones or copy machines.

Get Your Rest

Studies have shown that if you skip out on getting enough sleep, your immune system can be affected. According to research, the body repairs cellular damage and eliminates various toxins while you are asleep.

If you do not get enough sleep or your sleep schedule becomes erratic, it can lower your body’s immune response. Some of Dr. Horst’s tips for getting the sleep you need include:

• Invest in a set of black-out curtains and cover any digital clocks that glow at night to keep your bedroom as dark as possible
• Lower the temperature in the bedroom to between 60 °F and 67 °F
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends
• Try to avoid using any electronics or watching TV in bed at least an hour before going to sleep

Don’t Forget to Exercise

It can be all too easy to let your exercise routine slip by the wayside once the holidays kick into high gear. Unfortunately, a lack of exercise, added to increased stress and ready access to foods that are high in sugar and fat (and therefore more likely to cause an inflammatory response in the body), may end up sidelining you for the festivities.

Even something as simple as a short walk each day can get you moving. If you live in a colder climate, where you may be stuck inside due to bad weather, you can still put together a daily routine of yoga, stretching, or gentle movements. The important thing is to not let yourself become sedentary.

Chiropractic Care

Of course, Dr. Horst also recommends getting regular chiropractic care. There has been a great deal of research showing that chiropractic adjustments to the spine boost the immune response.

When Dr. Horst performs an adjustment to your spine to put it back in proper alignment, pressure on the nerves leading out of the spinal column is released. This will restore proper signaling to the brain, telling it to release the chemicals that boost your immunity.