10 Daily Habits to Support Your Immune System This Winter

Colds, coughs and seasonal bugs tend to do the rounds during the colder months. Shorter days mean less time outside, and most of us spend more hours indoors with the heating on and the windows shut.

Your immune system depends on a mix of everyday factors, including what you eat, how well you sleep, how much you move and your vitamin D levels. Small, regular changes to your routine can support all of these.

Below are ten daily habits that fit around work, school runs and dark evenings. None of them needs special equipment or a complete rethink of how you live.

1. Get Outside for Some Daylight Each Morning

Natural light first thing helps set your body clock, which affects your sleep, energy and mood across the day. Even on grey mornings, outdoor light is much brighter than the lighting in your home or office. Easy ways to fit it in include:

• Walking part of your commute or the school run

• Having your morning tea or coffee outside or in the garden

• Taking a ten-minute walk before you sit down at your desk

Keep in mind that from October to early March, we don’t make enough vitamin D from sunlight in the UK, which brings us to the next habit.

2. Top Up Your Vitamin D

Vitamin D supports normal immune function, along with healthy bones and muscles. During autumn and winter, the NHS advises everyone to consider a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Food can add to your intake too, with oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, eggs, red meat and fortified breakfast cereals all good sources.

Another way to add vitamin D to your day is Yakult Balance, a probiotic fermented milk drink that’s rich in vitamin D, which supports immunity, muscle and bone health. Each bottle also contains 20 billion L. casei Shirota bacteria, which are scientifically proven to reach the gut alive and increase both the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in your gut. Its small format makes it easy to fit into your daily routine through the winter months.

3. Add Fermented Foods and Live Cultures to Your Day

Your gut is home to a diverse community of bacteria and other microorganisms, and research continues to explore the relationship between the gut and the immune system. Eating a varied diet is one way to support your overall gut health, and fermented foods can form part of that variety.

Easy ways to include fermented foods across the week include:

• Natural yoghurt containing live cultures with breakfast

• A spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi with lunch

• Miso stirred into soups or noodle dishes

Beyond fermented foods, a daily gut health shot is another quick option if you prefer something that takes seconds to fit into your morning. Switching up what you eat across the week can also help keep your diet varied.

4. Eat a Wider Range of Fruit and Vegetables

Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and fruit and vegetables are the easiest way to get it. Winter produce has plenty to offer, including oranges, clementines, kiwi, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and red peppers.

Aim for different colours across the week, since each one brings its own mix of nutrients. Frozen fruit and vegetables count too, and they are often cheaper and last longer. Try adding an extra handful of spinach to a pasta sauce, or swapping your usual apple for a kiwi now and then.

5. Include Fibre at Each Meal

Certain types of fibre provide fuel for bacteria that already live in your gut. UK guidance recommends 30g a day for adults, yet most people eat around 20g. Small swaps add up quickly:

• Porridge oats or wholegrain cereal at breakfast

• Wholemeal bread or brown rice instead of white

• Lentils, beans or chickpeas added to soups, stews and curries

• A handful of nuts or seeds as an afternoon snack

Increase your fibre gradually and drink plenty of water alongside it, as this helps your body adjust.

6. Keep Up Your Water Intake

Cold weather can make you feel less thirsty, soand central heating dries out the air indoors. Both make it can be eeasy to drink less than you need without noticing. The NHS suggests 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day.

Water, milk, tea, coffee and drinks without added sugar all count. Warm drinks can feel more appealing in winter, so try herbal tea, hot water with a slice of lemon or a bowl of soup at lunch. Keeping a filled bottle on your desk or kitchen counter is a useful prompt to sip throughout the day.

7. Move Your Body Every Day

Research indicates that regular, moderate activity supports overall health. Darker evenings can make exercise harder to fit in, so look for short bursts across the day rather than one long session. Ideas that work well in winter include:

• A brisk 20-minute walk at lunchtime, while it’s still light

• Taking the stairs instead of the lift

• A home workout or yoga video in the living room

• Five minutes of stretching between calls if you work from home

8. Protect Your Sleep

Studies suggest that poor or short sleep can affect how well your immune system responds. Most adults need between seven and nine hours a night, and a routine makes this easier to reach.

Go to bed and wake up at similar times each day, including weekends. Put screens away 30 to 60 minutes before bed, and keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. If you find it hard to switch off, a warm bath, a book or a few minutes of slow breathing can help you wind down.

9. Wash Your Hands Often

Cold and flu viruses spread easily from hands to the face. Washing your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds every time is one of the easiest ways to reduce the spread of germs at home and at work. Make it a habit:

• Before eating or preparing food

• After using public transport

• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose

• As soon as you get home

Keep hand sanitiser in your bag for times when a sink isn’t nearby.

10. Include Zinc-Rich Foods in Your Meals

Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Your body can’t store it, so you need a regular supply from food. Protein matters too, as your body uses it to make the antibodies that form part of your immune response.

Good sources to work into your week include:

• Lean meat, chicken and eggs

• Shellfish such as prawns and mussels

• Lentils, chickpeas and beans

• Pumpkin seeds, cashews and wholegrains

• Cheese, milk and natural yoghurt

Pick One Habit to Start This Week

Looking after yourself through winter doesn't need to mean overhauling your routine. Adding more variety and fibre to meals, getting outside during daylight hours, staying active and keeping on top of vitamin D are all small habits that can fit around everyday life. Pick a couple that work for you and build from there.