Cold and flu season is almost upon us, and you may be dreading not only getting sick but also — in this bad economy — having to pay for doctor bills and medicine. While you may not believe that the best things in life are free, you will be relieved to find out that six of the best ways to prevent colds and flu, according to experts, are actually free or cost very little.
You can immediately begin incorporating them into your daily health practices to raise your odds of beating cold and flu bugs this fall and winter. While some of the recommendations may sound like they originated with "Dr. Mom," they are (with one exception from the Far East) endorsed by experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and prestigious universities.
1. Get sleep
People who sleep less than seven hours a night are three times more likely to catch a cold than those who sleep eight hours or more, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University. The scientists took 153 healthy men and women who reported their sleep duration over a period of 14 days, and gave them nasal drops containing a rhinovirus. Then they quarantined and monitored the subjects for five days to see whether they developed a cold.
"Poorer sleep efficiency and shorter sleep duration in the weeks preceding exposure to a rhinovirus were associated with lower resistance to illness," the researchers concluded.
In other words, get some sleep and stay well – it’s free and effective.
