Tag: Winter Tips

Seasonal affective disorder – also known as SAD – is a type of depression that often strikes in winter.

Seasonal affective disorder – also known as SAD – is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern and is also known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are usually more severe during the winter. If you experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, such as persistent sadness or loss of interest in activities, whatever the time of year, seek help from a mental health professional for support and treatment options.

Symptoms of SAD can include:

• a persistent low mood
• a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
• irritability
• feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
• feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
• sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning
• craving carbohydrates and gaining weight
• difficulty concentrating

When To See Your GP
For some people, these symptoms can be severe and have a significant impact on their day-to-day activities. You should consider seeing the GP if you think you might have SAD and you’re struggling to cope. They can carry out an assessment to check your mental health and may ask you about your mood, lifestyle, eating habits and sleeping patterns, plus any seasonal changes in your thoughts and behaviour.

What Causes SAD?
The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it’s often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the:

• production of melatonin – melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher than normal levels
• production of serotonin – serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression
• body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) – your body uses sunlight to time various important functions, such as when you wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD

It’s also possible that some people are more vulnerable to SAD as a result of their genes, as some cases appear to run in families.

Treatments For SAD
A range of treatments are available for SAD. The GP will recommend the most suitable treatment programme for you. The main treatments are:

• lifestyle measures – including getting as much natural sunlight as possible, exercising regularly and managing your stress levels
• light therapy – where a special lamp called a light box is used to simulate exposure to sunlight
• talking therapies – such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling
• antidepressant medicine – such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

More Information From The NHS About SAD

Read more about how seasonal affective disorder is treated

• Diagnosis – Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Symptoms – Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Treatment – Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Blog – Are You Prepared For Winter?

Winter brings challenges for all of us, not least the weather with wind, rain, ice, frost and fog. But it’s a time of year that you can prepare for with a bit of forward planning. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare for the worst of winter.

Slipping and sliding

Icy pavements and roads can be very slippery. If it’s icy first thing in the morning, consider delaying going outside until temperatures have risen. Fallen leaves can be slippery too, so try to keep your paths clear of them. Use a stiff brush and perhaps an anti-mould solution to prevent smooth surfaces getting treacherous when wet. Always wear appropriate footwear.

Fall Prevention

Just as the inside of your home may need adapting as you get older, the paths around your home and garden can easily be the scene of a fall or trip. It’s always good to fit a handrail if you have steps at your front or back door and alongside any steps or steeper incline. Make sure you keep paths clear of obstructions. Consider fitting an outside light.

Be Prepared At Home

• Have your heating system serviced during the summer or autumn
• Have a reserve food supply, just in case you can’t go out for a few days.
• Keep simple cold, flu and sore throat remedies, plus painkillers, in the house.

Use Your Network

Ask your family, neighbours or friends if they could call or visit  you more often if a period of cold weather stops you getting out and about. They can help you with food deliveries. Ask a family member to set up online food ordering for you – being familiar with the routine of getting a supermarket delivery at home can be very reassuring.

Speak to your friends, family or carer if you are feeling unwell, down or need some practical help. Don’t ignore small problems. Ask for help before they become bigger problems.

Pharmacists Can Help

Order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time, particularly if bad weather is forecast. Get used to visiting your local pharmacist. They can provide expert advice to help manage long-term conditions or can offer advice if you have a bad  cough, trouble breathing, a cold or a sore throat. They have longer opening hours than GP practices, and most have a private consultation area. They’ll also tell you if they think you should see a doctor.

Breaks in supply of water and power are more likely in winter and these issues are more likely to cause serious problems for older people.

Begin by stocking up on a few essential items that can make you more resilient at home. For example, a supply of bottled water and non-perishable foods. Keep a couple of torches in an easy to reach place or places (bedside cabinets for example).

Many people are reliant on power and water for medical reasons. If this applies to you, you should sign up to the Priority Services Register of your power and water companies. This system allows the utility company to recognise your needs. All utility companies have resources in place to support vulnerable people during an “outage”.

This might take the form or providing bottled water or heating and power generation equipment or even helping you to move to a safer location.

Until recently you had to register individually with each service provider, but now there is a nation-wide Priority Services Register (PSR) website. This single access point is http://www.thepsr.co.uk from where you will be directed to the right priority service register.

Being on the priority Service Register of your local supplier also means that you should receive prior notification of work in your area that might effect your supply, plus support if this is the case.

In this article aimed at helping you, your family and your friends ready for winter, we look at the importance of the flu vaccination.

Flu Vaccinations – Who Are They For? How do I Get One?

Get a Flu Shot: Protect Yourself from the Flu The flu can be particularly severe for older adults, so it’s essential to get an annual flu vaccination. By doing so, you reduce your risk of falling ill during the winter season. Many local healthcare providers and pharmacies offer flu shots, making it convenient to safeguard your health.

WHEN IS THE FLU SEASON?

It’s the time of year to start thinking about getting yourself vaccinated against flu.

You shouldn’t be under any illusions about the seriousness of flu. Flu isn’t just a heavy cold, it’s a highly infectious disease with symptoms that come on very quickly and bad bout of flu can be much worse than a heavy cold.

The most common symptoms of flu are fever, chills, headache, aches and pains in the joints and muscles, and extreme tiredness. Healthy individuals usually recover within 2 to 7 days, but for some the disease can be much more serious.

HOW DOES THE VACCINE HELP?

Flu vaccines help protect against the main types of flu virus circulating and can be used to protect people who are particularly vulnerable to the flu, whether through illness, age or other cause.

WHO SHOULD HAVE THE VACCINE?

If you are aged 65 years and over, you are encouraged to have the latest flu vaccine, every year, in the autumn or early winter before flu rates increase. Other people who should get the vaccine include those who are the main carer for an older or disabled person.

For advice and information about flu vaccination, speak to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist.

WHAT CAUSES FLU?

Flu is caused by influenza viruses that infect the windpipe and lungs.

CAN ANTIBIOTICS HELP?

Because it’s caused by viruses and not bacteria, antibiotics won’t treat Fflu. However, if there are complications from getting flu, antibiotics may be needed.

HOW DO YOU CATCH FLU?

When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they spread the flu virus in tiny droplets of saliva over a wide area. These droplets can then be breathed in by other people or they can be picked up by touching surfaces where the droplets have landed.

If you have flu, you can prevent the spread of the virus by covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Avoid getting the flu by washing your hands frequently or using hand gels. But the best way to avoid catching and spreading flu is by having the vaccination before the flu season starts.

AS WELL AS OLDER PEOPLE, WHO ELSE SHOULD GET VACCINATED?

Other people who should consider having the vaccine include the seriously overweight (BMI of 40 and above) and those with long-term health conditions, such as: a heart problem; a chest complaint or serious breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or some people with asthma; a kidney disease; lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment); liver disease; had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA); diabetes; some neurological condition, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy

HOW TO GET YOUR VACCINATION

If you belong to one of the groups mentioned above, it’s important that you have your flu vaccination. Speak to your GP or practice nurse, or alternatively your local pharmacist, to book a vaccination appointment.

Keep Warm: One of winter’s biggest challenges as we get older is keeping warm. Older people often feel the cold more acutely and, if they do get cold, it can make them more vulnerable to illness, whether it be seasonal bugs , or existing conditions.

So, what are the key tips to keeping warm in winter? We suggest you start by concentrating on three key areas:

1/ Heating Your Home: Having a warm and comfortable home is probably the first priority. Aim to heat your home to a comfortable temperature during the daytime and then, when it gets dark, draw your curtains promptly. Make yourself familiar with the heating system or systems in your home. Learn how the thermostat works and how to set heating to come on in the morning, before you get out of bed. Turn off radiators in rooms that are not in use and close doors to those rooms. Keeping warm obviously impacts your fuel bills, so make sure you’re getting all the support you’re entitled to from the government. Age UK have a handy guide to sources of help with your fuel bills:  Find out more about what support you can get with your energy bills

2/ Activity Is Warming: Although you might not feel like exercising outside if it’s very cold, exercise in itself is a great way to keep warm and healthy. Consider developing an indoor exercise routine. You might enjoy sessions on a static bicycle, but at the other end of the scale simple seated exercise can also make you feel warmer and energised.  The website of disability sport organisation, the Activity Alliance includes a list of useful exercise advice, workouts, videos and activity guides, many of which can be done indoors. Active at home. Even household chores can be warming if they get you on your feet and moving about the house.

3/ Clothing – wrap up warm! Next to keeping your house warm, using warm layered clothing is the next best defence against the cold.  Layering is a great idea, as each clothing layer creates its own layer of warm air. At the same time, if you get too warm, having several thin layers of clothing makes it easier to regulate your temperature. Here’s how layering might be organised:

Base Layer: Thermal underwear, both tops and bottoms, with full leg and arm coverage are a great start.

Mid Layer: Above that, you can wear layers of sweaters, fleeces,  sweatshirts, and light jackets. Try to keep them relatively loose fitting. Tight clothing excludes the warming layers of air and can even constrict blood flow. This is especially true of gloves and footwear – looser fitting gloves and socks that are not too tight are much warmer than tight fitting ones. Modern “puffer” jackets come in various thicknesses and even without arms. They are incredibly light and, being more windproof than fleeces, they make a very good insulator in winter. They make a comfortable and not too bulky option for wearing indoors if you are in a colder indoor environment.

Outer Layers: A good waterproof coat is essential if you’re going out on a cold day. Ideally it should be both wind and rain-proof and should be long enough to reach the tops of your thighs, at least. Modern materials again ensure that they are less bulky and heavy than you might expect.

The Extremities: Add a fleece hat, warm (loose fitting) gloves, and a scarf to really keep the warmth locked in on colder days.

A Few More Winter Warming Tips

If your house has a room that gets lots of sunlight, make sure you make use of it on sunny days, even if it’s cold outside. Sunlight warms through glass, even in winter, and it also lifts your mood.

Nutrition and body temperature are linked, especially in older people. Eat well, especially in colder weather – the body needs more energy at these times to keep you warm.

Consider one of the new generation of electric blankets, mattress toppers or throws, to help provide extra, targeted heat in bed or on the sofa. Having a couple of plain blankets or throws in the living room is a great way to quickly add a layer of warmth if you start to feel cold.

Have some thicker curtains available for winter in your main rooms. They can help keep your house insulated.

Don’t forget your feet. Warm socks and slippers keep your lower extremities warm, both when you’re sitting down and when you’re moving around the house.

Winter is a time when ill-health is more prevalent and when there is increased pressure on the NHS. With a little forward-planning, you can make sure you are prepared.

PRESCRIPTIONS: For people who have repeat prescriptions, electronic repeat dispensing (known as eRD) gives them the reassurance of knowing their next prescription will be ready for collection at their pharmacy when they need it, and flexibility so they have medication at busy times like bank holidays. Guidance on how to order a repeat prescription is available on the NHS website, or you can use the NHS App to order repeat prescriptions, or change your nominated pharmacy, in just a few taps. You can also use the NHS website to find a pharmacy near you which will be open over the bank holidays.

MEDICINE CABINET: Make sure you have a well-stocked medicine cabinet that is kep locked or out of reach of children.

Here are some essential items that you should consider storing in your medicine cabinet:

Pain relief medications: Aspirin, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen

Cough and cold medicines: Cough medicine, Decongestant

Antihistamines: Antihistamine tablets

Antibacterial ointment: Hydrocortisone cream, Antibiotic ointment

First aid tools: Bandages, Sterile Gauze, Medical/Adhesive Tape, Antiseptic for cleaning a wound, Cotton Balls/Swabs, Small Pair of Scissors, Tweezers, Ice and Heat Packs

Prescription Medicines: You can also store your prescription medicines but make sure you have the prescription inside your medicine cabinet as well for further information about these medicines.

Please note that every family will be different, but if you are in doubt, your local pharmacy is a great source of advice. You can also read NHS advice on what to keep in a first aid kit at home.

CHOOSING WHICH NHS SERVICE TO USE: The NHS is busy in winter, but it’s important that people continue to use their services when they need them. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the best service for your medical condition. Each links through to the NHS’s “Together we Can” website, which has more information on making the best choices.

• Self Care At Home: Many minor issues like coughs, grazes and sore throats can be treated at home. More Info
• Pharmacy: Great for medical advice and treatment for things like colds, tummy troubles, rashes, aches and pains. More Info
• NHS111: Visit the NHS 111 website or call 111 if you need medical help quickly, 24/7. More Info
• Mental Health: Call 0800 183 0558 (Calderdale) or 0800 952 1181 (Bradford ) for free, confidential, help, support, information and guidance. More Info
• GP: GP practices provide advice and support on a range of health concerns. Seven days a week. More Info
• A&E: For life threatening emergencies like heart attacks. 24/7. More Info·