If you’ve got an ongoing joint condition, like arthritis, you may notice your joints get more stiff as the temperature falls.

It’s not clear why this happens to some people, but it’s thought the colder weather may increase pressure inside the joints, causing pain. When it’s cold, most of us tend to be less active and stay indoors, and this could also make your joints more stiff and painful.

There are a few things you can do to help keep joint pain away this winter, including:

• exercising daily – not only does exercise warm you up, it can also boost your mood and energy levels. Try to focus on low-impact activities, like swimming, that place less pressure on your joints
• stretching regularly – stretching helps strengthen the muscles that support your joints, and it helps to keep your joints and muscles flexible. If doing stretches on your own doesn’t sound like much fun, try an online yoga or tai chi class instead

If physically feeling cold makes your joint pain worse, try:

• wearing layers of thick clothing to trap in body heat to keep your joints warm
• taking a warm bath – warm water can be soothing for stiff, painful joints
• putting an electric blanket on your bed or using a hot water bottle to keep you warm during the night