How to Treat a Winter Cold

Winter is one of the most common seasons for people to develop irritating colds. It doesn't take much to catch one of these but by enforcing prevention you can keep yourself from developing winter colds. Treating a winter cold is just like many other common colds and with the proper care you'll be feeling better in no time.

Things You'll Need

• Disinfectant spray
• Hand sanitizer (optional)
• Rest
• Proper medicine
• Lots of liquids

Instructions

1. 

   Practice good hygiene. Continuously washing your hands and frequently disinfecting surfaces can help you treat your winter cold. You can use spray sanitizer for your hands, just make sure it notes somewhere on the bottle that it helps kill viruses. Many people do this because their hands become rather dry from washing them so often. Use a disinfectant like Lysol to disinfect all the surfaces that you or any sick family members commonly touch. This could be door handles, and especially surfaces in the bathroom.

2. 

   Exercise and rest. Exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you have a winter cold but it can actually benefit you. Plenty of rest will help also so try to catch some sleep every chance you get.

3. 

   Continue healthy eating habits. You may not feel like eating, but eating nutritiously can help you treat that winter cold. Consume lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to give your body the nutrients it needs to fight off the cold.

4. 

   Drink plenty of liquids. Your body can become hydrated because you don't feel like eating or drinking as you normally would if you didn't have a cold. So be sure you drink plenty of liquids and try to squeeze some Vitamin C in there as well to help give your immune system a boost.

5. 

   Avoid damaging lifestyle habits. If you smoke you should avoid any tobacco use. If you drink you want to avoid consuming any alcohol. The hardest thing to avoid is stress but undergoing more stress than usual can actually make your winter cold worse. Try to relax and avoid any other stress that may come your way while you are under the weather.

6. 

   Take the proper medicine. For a winter cold you want to choose a medicine that will target the specific problems you are suffering from. Choose nasal decongestants and cough suppressants to help treat the winter cold. Always follow the directions on the label of the medicine and if you aren't getting any results after the suggested amount of days, you might consult your doctor or switch medicines.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't overdo medicine intake. While you may think just taking cold medicine at every hour allowed you will cure your winter cold. This however can backfire and the medicine may not do any better or may actually become less effective. Try to get lots of rest, eat right, and drink lots of liquids.

Resources

• Cold and Flu Prevention
• Choose the Right Cough Medicine
• Natural Ways to Disinfect Your Home