Help you and your family stay well with these health and wellbeing tips.
When the weather gets colder, it can affect your health and wellbeing. Read these tips on staying healthy this winter, including information on vaccinations, dealing with seasonal illnesses, and ways to maintain good mental wellbeing.
Use digital resources for safe and trusted advice
If you’re feeling under the weather, symptom checkers or the NHS 24 Online app may be able to provide the advice you need quickly.
These tools are free to use and are designed by the experts at NHS 24. They can:
- offer quick information on various symptoms
- provide advice on what to do next
- give details of nearby health and care services
Get vaccinated
The vaccines that will help protect you from flu and coronavirus this winter are now available.
NHS Scotland strongly recommends that you get your vaccines as soon as they’re offered to you.
Find out more about winter vaccine
Check your prescribed medicines
Check in advance that you have enough of your prescribed medicine to last throughout the Christmas and New Year holidays.
You should submit your prescription requests at least a week before Christmas. This will give your GP practice and pharmacy enough time to process your request.
Using a self-help guide
If you run out of your prescribed medicine and your GP practice or pharmacy are closed, the accessing medicines self-help guide can help you find out where to get your medicines.
Learn how to manage common winter illnesses
Coughs, colds, fevers and flu are common at this time of year. NHS inform has lots of advice about winter illness and how to safely manage your symptoms at home.
Get advice about winter illness
Look after your mental wellbeing
The winter months can be a difficult time for many people. The drop in temperature and shorter days can have an impact on your mental wellbeing.