Feeling cold in winter isn’t just uncomfortable — it can also affect your health.

For example, cold temperatures make your heart work harder to keep you warm and may raise your risk of a heart attack or stroke. They can also make asthma symptoms worse.

So it's important to keep your body warm as temperatures drop.

You can do this by heating your home to at least 18C. But if you're still feeling the cold, there are ways to [keep warm](/condition/winterhealth-keepwarmkeepwell) without turning up the heat.

Try to:

- dress in layers made from cotton, fleece and wool
- use a hot water bottle, a microwave heat pack or hand warmers
- eat hot meals — at least once a day
- drink hot drinks regularly
- stay active as exercise can help keep you warm
- stand up and move every hour if you’re sitting

Woman holding a hot water bottle on white background

If you’re finding it hard to get in the right mindset for work while working from home, and miss the habits and buzz of being in the office, there are actions you can take to improve the situation.

__1. Set a time and place for work__
Occupational psychologist Emma Donaldson-Feilder says it all starts with setting boundaries. 

“Create as much distinction between working and not-working as you can. This could be in terms of time and/or space,” says Donaldson-Feilder.

Schedule start and finish times for working so you can switch off at the end of the working day. It could help to set alarms to discipline yourself to start and finish when they ring, she says.

You should also have a distinct space in your home where you do your work and only use it for working. If space is tight, Donaldson-Feilder advises clearing away your work materials (computer, papers, etc) as much as you can when you finish work.

__2. Build a commute into your day__
The time you usually take to get from home to an office provides a mental association between the 2 places, which can make you more productive.

Donaldson-Feilder suggests going for a walk at the start and end of your working day to help makes this separation at home. "Walk to the station or bus stop as you would if you were going to or from your workplace," she says. This will also add [exercise into your day](/keeping-fit).

__3. Pretend you're going into the office__
Getting ready to go to work provides a separation between the working and home or leisure part of your day. So keep up your morning routine — set an alarm, make coffee and get dressed. 

“Change your clothes so that you wear different clothing in work time and non-work time," says Donaldson-Feilder. This can help you adapt your mindset when you move from 1 to the other. 

There are also apps and [websites that help recreate the office atmosphere](https://soundofcolleagues.com/#), with audio of keyboards tapping, phones ringing, coffee machines whirring and air conditioners humming. 

Read our tips below for advice on how to properly switch off at the end of the day.

Woman using a laptop while working in her home office

Finding it hard to get in the right mindset for work while working from home? Occupational psychologist Emma Donaldson-Feilder shared her advice on improving productivity and setting up an office atmosphere. 

John Wooden, basketball player and coach

Arrange to call a friend or go for a walk with them (if restrictions allow) at the end of your working day. This will force you to finish work at your scheduled time.

Make plans to force a finish time

Do this when you finish work to help you relax and prepare you for non-work activities. You could do some stretches or breathing exercises, or practice yoga or mindfulness.

Take a ‘mindful moment’

How to switch off at the end of the day

Missing the office? Here are 3 ways to improve working from home

If you've just had a holiday feast, don’t let your leftovers go to waste — many delicious meals can be made with any leftover turkey or roasted vegetables. 

But it’s important to remember that you shouldn't store leftovers for too long, whether in the fridge or freezer, and you should store them properly to help prevent [food poisoning](/food-poisoning). 

Here's what you need to know.

1. __How long can you keep leftovers in the fridge?__

According to the Ontario Ministry of Health, some leftovers can be kept for longer than others. For example, the agency says any cooked fish or meat, including turkey, leftover stew, egg or vegetable dish can be stored for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

But soup can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days, while any leftover gravy needs to be eaten before 2 days. 

If it’s likely you won’t be able to eat your leftovers within these times, store them in the freezer instead.

2. __How long can you keep leftovers in the freezer?__

Leftover food can generally be kept in the freezer for many months. But as with storing leftovers in the fridge, the length of time will vary depending on what you're freezing.

Leftover turkey — or other cooked poultry or fish — can be frozen for 4 to 6 months, while soups should be frozen for no more than 4 months.

If you've got meat broth or gravy leftover, this can be frozen for 2 to 3 months.  The same is true for other cooked meats, stews, vegetables or dishes that contain eggs, such as a desert.

Man putting away leftovers from a Thanksgiving day feast

If you have a lot of leftovers from a Thanksgiving or festive meal, here's how long you can store them for, in both the fridge and freezer. 

Tristram Stuart, author

Make sure any leftovers are completely cool before you place them in the fridge or freezer. You should cool them within 2 hours to minimise bacterial growth.

Cool leftovers before storing

Make sure anything you refrigerate or freeze is well-wrapped or placed in a sealed container to prevent it drying out and to limit the growth of bacteria. 

Seal leftovers properly

Before you freeze leftovers, such as soup or stew, divide it into separate containers. This way you only need to take out what’s needed for each meal, minimising waste.

Divide leftovers into meal-size portions

Tips for storing leftovers

How long can you keep leftovers?

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks but it’s also a time for feasting with friends and family. 

This year, the social side of the day may be different, with people encouraged to gather virtually or minimally — but the food is still likely to be plentiful.

And with so much food on offer, it can be easy to overeat and be left feeling bloated and tired. Eating too much can also put you at risk of weight gain. 

But you can reduce your chances of this happening and take care of your health by making a few simple changes to how you celebrate. You can:

- __eat smaller meals more regularly__ during the day as this can help you stay full and limit how much you need to eat during the Thanksgiving meal
- __[swap unhealthy ingredients for healthier ones](/daily-drop-in/24th-november)__ — you could use low-fat milk in your mashed potatoes instead of butter and full-fat milk, or make your own cranberry sauce instead of buying it (shop-bought cranberry sauce is likely high in sugar)
- __skip the turkey skin__ as this is high in saturated fat — you could still cook the turkey with the skin on to keep it moist but remove it when you carve portions
- __drink plenty of water__ — aim for at least 6 to 8 glasses during the day. You may need to drink more than this if you’re also drinking alcohol to help prevent dehydration
- __limit alcohol__ — alcohol is high in calories and can be bad for your health. You could sip lower-strength or smaller alcoholic drinks, or add mixers like soda water to your drink if you want to have alcohol
- __stay active__ — head out for a walk after your Thanksgiving meal or do some exercise early in the day. This can help you feel energised and sleep better when the celebrations come to an end

Close up of unrecognizable person carving white turkey meat during dinner at Thanksgiving

Close up of unrecognizable person carving white turkey meat during dinner at Thanksgiving (credit - skynesher)

Thanksgiving is a time of celebration and feasting, making it easy to overeat. Here's how to enjoy the festivities while looking after your health. 

White turkey (breast) meat is high in protein - 100g of white meat provides about 28.8g of protein — and it's fairly low in fat, especially when compared with meats like pork or beef. Though brown turkey meat is a little higher in fat than white, it’s also higher in important minerals, such as calcium and zinc. The skin is the part to watch out for as it’s high in saturated fat.

Michael Pollan, author

Celebrating Thanksgiving? Here are 6 ways to stay healthy

Celebrating the holidays with loved ones may feel all the more important this year, but as the holiday season approaches, you may be wondering if — and *how* — you can celebrate safely. Here's what to keep in mind.

__Check restrictions__
You’ll first need to check what restrictions are in place where you live. According to Sally Bloomfield, Honorary Professor at The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the safest way to celebrate with people from outside your household is virtually, using platforms like Zoom or FaceTime.

__Set rules if hosting__
If you’d like to host an event and invite people who aren’t in your household, you should limit the number of people you invite (check local guidelines) and how long you socialise with them for, says Bloomfield. 

It’s also important to follow rules around staying safe and reducing your risk of spreading or catching the virus. This means you and your guests should: 

- socialise outdoors, if possible
- wear a face mask when indoors
- practise social distancing (keep a 2-metre distance from others where possible)
- wash your hands with soap regularly
- open windows to help ventilate rooms

Before the day, it's also important to ask the people you're inviting whether they have been diagnosed with the virus or have symptoms. If they have, they should stay home.

__If visiting others, assess the situation__
If you travel to visit others, assess the people you’re going to be with and the environment you’re going to be in before you go so you know what the risks are. You should also consider what risks you may encounter along the way, and how you'll deal with them. 

__Limit contact after the celebrations__
If you celebrate the holidays with people who live outside your household, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you limit contact with others for 14 days afterwards to be safe. 

You should also stay in contact with everyone who attended and let them know if anyone reports having symptoms. 

Family have diner while chatting to someone via video on laptop

With restrictions due to coronavirus still in place across the world, you may be you may be wondering how you can celebrate the holidays safely with loved ones this year. Here's some guidance on how to stay safe while celebrating the holidays this year. 

Goethe, writer

Take any towels, bedding or other laundry items you might need with you as germs can spread on these. 

Take your own laundry items

Wear a face mask at all times when indoors, but you can remove it for sleeping, eating and drinking. 

Wear a face mask

Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds when you first arrive, then wash them regularly throughout your stay. 

Wash your hands regularly

Keep a 2-metre distance from others, particularly when indoors. Spend time outdoors where possible. 

Practise social distancing

 A ventilated room can help reduce your risk of spreading and catching the virus, so try to open as many windows as possible. 


Open windows

If someone falls ill after the event, make sure everyone who attended is aware so you can take appropriate steps, such as self-isolate, get tested for coronavirus and / or seek medical attention.

Have a plan 

How to stay safe if you stay overnight

How to celebrate the holidays safely with friends and family this year

Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and for some people this marks the start of the holiday season — a time to feast with family or friends, but just as easily a time to overindulge in foods that are bad for you. 

But there are changes you can make to your holiday meal that will help you stay healthy and avoid weight gain. 

So why not try some of these [healthy holiday food swaps ](/meal-tips/healthy-holiday-food-swaps):

__Swap meat for vegetarian stuffing__
If you usually make your stuffing with sausage meat or a packet mix, it’s likely to be quite high in salt. You can reduce the salt content by trying a vegetarian version instead, using chestnuts, onion, herbs and rice.

__Swap candied sweet potatoes for roasted ones__
While sweet potatoes themselves have a high nutritional value, baking them with butter, sugar and marshmallows adds too much processed sugar to the dish. Instead, keep the sweet potatoes simple by baking or roasting them in a little olive oil. Another healthy alternative is butternut squash, which is high in vitamin A and low in calories.

__Mashed potatoes - keep them simple__
It can be tempting to make mashed potatoes creamier by adding butter, cheese and cream, but this increases the fat content. Keep your mashed potatoes as healthy as possible by making them with a dash of milk and butter.

__Swap store-bought cranberry sauce for homemade__
Shop-bought cranberry sauce often contains added sugar, which can encourage overeating by increasing levels of the ‘hunger hormone’ ghrelin. It can also decrease levels of the appetite-suppressing hormone peptide YY (PYY). You can reduce the sugar in your cranberry sauce by making it yourself.

__Swap pecan pie for baked apples with yoghurt__
Pecan pie is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert that is high in calories and sugar. A single slice of pie can contain up to 503 calories. Try baked apples topped with cinnamon and greek yoghurt instead.

Overhead view of table during Christmas dinner

During the holidays, it's easy to over indulge in foods that are bad for you. Here are some healthier alternatives to try instead.

Irv Kupcinet, journalist

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a festive dinner, as long as it's in moderation. Eat a light lunch and healthy breakfast to balance out your large evening meal.

Everything in moderation

If portion control is something you find challenging during the holidays, use smaller plates to reduce the size of your meal.

Use smaller plates

It may be more time consuming, but making everything from scratch will help you reduce the amount of salt in your meal and will give you more control over what you eat.

Eat homemade

Eating slowly will send signals to your brain to help your body know when you're full and will stop you from overeating.

Eat your meal more slowly

A walk after a large meal can help digest your food while getting some exercise.

Go for a walk after dinner

Habits to keep you healthy during the holidays

Healthy food swaps you can make this holiday season

When you’re out for a walk, your legs will be moving but chances are your mind will be focused on other things, such as what you have to do later that day or week, or certain issues you’re worrying about. 

But next time you’re out for a walk try to take the opportunity to really *notice* the world around you — the sights, the sounds, the smells, and the way your breathing changes as you pick up pace?

This is mindful walking. It means practising mindfulness — where you pay close attention to the present moment — while you walk. And doing this has many benefits. 

A mindful walk can help to:

- improve your mental wellbeing — by helping you enjoy life more and allowing you to learn more about yourself 
- reduce [stress and anxiety](/stress-relief/mindfulness) — exercise alone can help reduce stress and anxiety, but studies show that mindfulness can also help you manage them better
- improve focus and concentration — some studies suggest being mindful can teach you how to ignore unwanted distractions and instead focus on 1 sight, sound or sensation

Young woman walking with a coffee under the trees in the daylight

When was the last time you really noticed the world around you? Find out what a mindful walk involves and how it can benefit your mental wellbeing. 

Try to focus more often on your body and how it responds to being in different environments, such as when walking. You may pay attention to the air brushing past your body, the sounds created by your feet hitting the ground or how your hands feel as you walk. This can all help you to live in the present moment, which can improve your mental wellbeing. 


Noticing everyday things can improve mental wellbeing

Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme

3 benefits of a mindful walk

Sleeping well and waking up refreshed isn’t always that easy — especially if you have many thoughts or worries going through your mind. 

But getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night is important for your general wellbeing. This is because it helps to:

- reduce stress - by helping your body relax
- improve your mental wellbeing - by reducing your risk of developing conditions like depression and anxiety in the long term
- boost your immune system
- improve memory, learning and concentration
- maintain a healthy weight - by reducing your likelihood of snacking or eating more food due to a lack of energy
- boost heart health - by improving the regulation of your blood pressure and blood sugar levels

Sleep quality is just as important as quantity, so consider how you feel when you wake up in the morning and during the day. Do you feel energised and able to focus on what you’re doing? Or do you feel tired and irritable?

If you feel tired and irritable, it may be [time to take action](/insomnia/insomnia-tips). 

See our our tips below on how to build a sleep routine that sticks. 

Person in bed with an alarm clock in the foreground

Sleep is essential for good health and wellbeing. Find out why, and how to get more sleep if you're feeling deprived of it. 

E. Joseph Cossman, author

Get up at the same time every day, also on weekends. This helps your body’s sleep-wake cycle find its rhythm, which can improve the quality of your sleep. 

Wake and get up at the same time

If you’re changing your sleep schedule, make changes slowly as this gives your body time to readjust. This may also help you build new sleep habits into your routine.

Make changes slowly

Consider when you tend to wake up, then work out when you need to fall asleep. You may need to wind down a little earlier than usual to get to sleep on time.

Allow time to get enough sleep

Catching up on sleep during the day may seem like a good idea, but napping can upset your sleep routine, making it harder to fall asleep at bedtime. 

Avoid napping

Find a way to wind down before bed to help put you in the mood for sleep. It could be a bath, listening to gentle music or reading a book.  Set aside 30 minutes to an hour to do this.

Establish a ‘winding down’ routine

How to build a good sleep routine

Self-care Week: Why sleep matters and how to get enough of it

When it's cold outside, it's easy to feel a chill. But there are ways to keep warm at home without turning the heating up. 

Edith Sitwell, writer

Closing your curtains at dusk can help stop heat escaping at night.

Draw the curtains

Keeping doors closed can help to block out draughts.

Close the doors

Block draughts with simple do-it-yourself tricks, like sticking foam strips around your window frames.

Try DIY draught-proofing

A well-insulated loft can help keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer. Experts recommend loft insulation to be at least 270mm thick.