When temperatures drop, many people also enter the season of runny noses, coughs and sore throats. Sneezing becomes more common on buses and trains, colleagues are absent from work and colds also make the rounds among family and friends. But how can you protect yourself as effectively as possible in everyday life? Find out what matters during cold season and which small habits can make a difference.
Why are colds more common in autumn and winter?
As the colder months begin, the number of respiratory infections often increases. However, this is not due to low temperatures alone.
One important reason is that we spend more time indoors during autumn and winter. In enclosed spaces, pathogens can spread more easily between people, especially when many people gather together and ventilation is limited.
Cold outdoor air and dry heated indoor air can also put strain on the mucous membranes. These form a natural protective barrier in our body and play an important role in defending against pathogens.
Although a cold cannot always be prevented, a few conscious choices can help reduce the risk of infection in everyday life.
Fresh air makes a difference
Whether in the office, at home or in public buildings: especially during the heating season, we spend many hours in enclosed spaces.
Regular ventilation helps replace stale air and may reduce the concentration of pathogens that could be present in indoor air.
Short periods of intensive ventilation are particularly effective. This involves opening the windows fully for a few minutes. Where possible, cross-ventilation using opposite windows allows for especially rapid air exchange.
Spending time outdoors can also be easily incorporated into everyday life. A walk during your lunch break, a short journey on foot or meeting outdoors all provide opportunities to spend time outside enclosed spaces.
Small hygiene habits with a big impact
In everyday life, our hands come into contact with numerous surfaces. Door handles, handrails and shared objects are touched by many people every day.
Regular handwashing with soap and water is therefore a simple and well-established hygiene measure. It is particularly useful, for example, after returning home, before eating or after blowing your nose.
If you need to cough or sneeze, ideally use a disposable tissue or cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your elbow. This helps prevent pathogens from being passed on via the hands.
In situations with an increased risk of infection, such as crowded public transport, wearing a well-fitting mask may also be useful.
The aim is not to avoid every touch or encounter. Rather, a few simple habits can help you act more consciously in everyday life.
When you feel a cold coming on
A scratchy throat, runny nose or general feeling of being unwell can be early signs of a respiratory infection.
This is when it is especially worthwhile paying attention to your body's signals. If you feel under the weather, try to allow yourself more rest where possible and reduce strenuous activities.
Appointments and commitments can also wait for a while. This creates space for recovery while also reducing the risk of infecting other people.
If you have a fever or feel clearly unwell, you should avoid intensive exercise. Once the symptoms have subsided, physical activity can be increased gradually again.
If symptoms persist for an unusually long time, worsen, or if shortness of breath or severe chest pain occurs, prompt medical assessment is important. In the event of acute shortness of breath or severe chest pain, immediate medical attention is required.
What our immune system does every day
Our immune system is active around the clock. It recognises foreign substances, responds to pathogens and works together with various organs, tissues and cells.
Our natural protective barriers play a particularly important role. The skin and mucous membranes form the first boundary between the body and its environment.
If pathogens nevertheless enter the body, different defence mechanisms are available. The innate and adaptive components of the immune system work closely together.
This shows how versatile the body's own defence system is. An adequate supply of important nutrients is one of the prerequisites for the body to carry out its normal functions.
Consciously include vitamins and minerals in your diet
A balanced diet supplies the body with numerous nutrients that are involved in different metabolic processes.
Vitamins and minerals often receive greater attention during cold season. A varied selection of foods remains the most important foundation.
Different types of vegetables and fruit, wholegrain products, legumes, nuts and other nutrient-rich foods can help meet daily requirements.
Important micronutrients include vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, for example. They contribute to the normal function of the immune system. B vitamins also perform numerous functions in the body and are important, among other things, for normal energy-yielding metabolism.
Whether additional food supplements are useful depends on your individual diet, personal requirements and other health-related factors.
The Warnke Vitamin Set: Selected nutrients in one combination
If you would like to supplement your diet according to your individual needs, Warnke Vitalstoffe offers the Vitamin Set (3-Pack). It combines a vitamin B complex, vitamin K2 + D3 and zinc + vitamin C in one practical set.
The vitamins and minerals included perform different functions in the body. While vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc contribute to the normal function of the immune system, various B vitamins play an important role in energy-yielding metabolism and the nervous system. Vitamin D and vitamin K also contribute to the maintenance of normal bones.
The set therefore combines several areas of daily nutrient supply. Whether additional supplementation is appropriate depends on personal dietary habits and individual requirements. When using the products, please follow the recommended intake and directions for use for each individual product.
A varied diet and a health-conscious lifestyle continue to form the foundation of daily wellbeing.
Think of others too
During cold season, it is not only your own health that matters. Considerate behaviour towards other people is also important.
If you develop noticeable cold symptoms, you should reduce personal contact where possible and take particular care to protect vulnerable people.
This includes, for example, older people or individuals with certain pre-existing conditions, for whom respiratory infections may be associated with an increased risk.
Recommended vaccinations may also form part of personal preventive healthcare depending on age and health status. Which vaccinations are appropriate can be discussed with a doctor based on current recommendations.
Even small everyday decisions can help make interactions during cold season safer.
Conclusion: A conscious approach to cold season
The colder months bring particular challenges. However, you do not have to completely change your everyday routine to take a more conscious approach to your health.
Regular ventilation, simple hygiene measures, a varied diet and responsible behaviour when experiencing symptoms can often be implemented without much effort.
It is also important to remember that even good habits cannot prevent every infection. What matters most is paying attention to your own needs while also being considerate of others.
Because getting through cold season well does not mean being able to avoid every cold - it means taking a conscious and responsible approach to your own health.
Discover the Warnke Vitamin Set (3-Pack): Sets