12.01.2022

How to prevent flu and cold in Japan

Hello Smilers! The season is changing and the weather is getting pretty cold. It is easy to get a cold or flu in Japan. In this article, we are here to help you share the tips and tricks for you to prevent getting the flu.

1. Disinfect your phone to avoid flu or influenza

In this day and age, your phone is the most important thing to you as it keeps you connected to everyone and it is probably the most touched item in our daily life; when we commute, when we are in the toilet, and before bed. Because we touch it all the time, it is most likely that our phones carry those germs with us to our beds!

Disinfecting your phones is as important as washing your hands. We recommended that after washing your hands, you should disinfect your phones by using a damp cloth and a little bit of soap or alcohol solution just doing this, will prevent you from getting flu or influenza. Keeping your phone germ-free is key!

2. Get plenty of rest to avoid catching a cold

Getting enough rest is important because you need the energy to help you get through your day and recover from any illness. Research shows that adults who sleep an average of 5 to 6 hours were most likely to get a cold. People who don’t get enough sleep show a higher level of inflammation. Adults with 7 hours or more of sleep are less likely to catch a cold as they are well-rested to prevent getting a cold.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults should get at least 7 hours or more of sleeping time and children and teens need more than 7 hours of sleep

3. Keep warm in your sleep to avoid catching a cold

Staying warm in your sleep will not only prevent you from catching a cold but also help you get a better quality of sleep. It is recommended that the optimum temperature for you to sleep is between 15 °C and 19°C. Setting it at 18°C would be perfect for you to get a good night’s sleep and prevent yourself from catching a cold.

If you are using a heating device to make your room warm, make sure to open the window or door a little for ventilation. Wearing socks and warm innerwear when you are sleeping will also help you have a good sleep and also prevent you from catching a cold.

4. Keep fit and healthy to avoid the flu and catching a cold

You might not feel like exercising or you may not have the time to do it but keeping fit has a lot of benefits in store for you! There are several theories about exercising to prevent catching a cold however these theories have not been proven.

It is said that when you are exercising, your body’s white blood cells (the immune system cells that fight diseases) circulate more rapidly and it will help you fight off illness in your immune system.

Exercising will also help your body to slow down the release of stress hormones. Stress may increase the chance of illness and so exercising will help you prevent illness including catching a cold.

If exercising might seem too troublesome for you, taking a daily 20-30 mins walk will also do! Let’s get active in this cold season to prevent catching a cold or flu!

5. Wash your hand regularly to prevent flu or influenza

This is the simplest way for you to prevent flu or influenza. Not only that, you have to wash your hands on a regular basis for hygiene purposes. It is recommended that you wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to wash it thoroughly and do not forget your thumb area too as it is said to be the one being left out the most when washing your hands.

This wraps up the article on how to prevent catching a cold or flu. We hope that you find these tips useful and apply them to your daily life. Stay healthy and don’t forget to keep Smiling through this cold season!