Improve your winter with just 20 minutes a day

As the weather cools down significantly, there is a higher chance people choose to stay indoors and miss more opportunities for social interaction and movement.

Regular physical activity is essential for overall health and wellbeing, regardless of age and weather conditions. While initiating and maintaining an exercise routine can be challenging during winter, Eastern Health Physiotherapist Dr Lyndon Hawke encourages people to adopt accessible and creative ways to stay active at home or in the community.

“A lot of people use the weather as a bit of an excuse, which is understandable, but it just means being a little bit more creative with being active during winter. To stay healthy, incorporating movement into your routine needs to be a regular thing. The World Health Organization recommends 150 minutes worth of moderate intensity physical activity every week, which is about 20 minutes a day,” he said.

 

There are many ways to keep moving in and out of your home. For Eastern Health consumers, Dr Hawke helps facilitate telehealth and in-person exercise groups.

He also suggests using YouTube to find some videos to follow along with local council run activities like Tai Chi in the park or walking groups, or even integrating some stretches in between putting a cuppa on.

“All you need is a chair. You can do sit-to-stands. If you have something to hold on to like a bench, you can do squats, heel raises, out to the sides and balance work. For your arms, you can hold soup cans as dumbbell substitutes. Everyday items that people have lying around the house can be utilized for exercise.

“It’s all about finding the movement that is the most comfortable for you and getting that regularity, to get the all the benefits that exercise can afford you,” Dr Hawke said.

Eastern Health Manager GEM@Home and Rehab@Home Maz Robinson’s team visits consumers in their home.
During colder months, challenges of illness, social isolation, cognitive decline and limited support systems can compound. Ms Robinson stresses the importance of community awareness, proactive welfare checks and connecting individuals with appropriate services.

“Often we connect our consumers to community organisations that help provide food, social and financial help.

“Sometimes it’s just about looking out for one another, having that awareness and noticing changes in those around you. I live in a court where I’ve got an elderly neighbour. She didn’t put her bins out one day when she usually does. I also noticed I hadn’t seen the light on, so I messaged her and asked if she was okay. We noticed these changes and wanted to do a quick welfare check,” she said.

Ms Robinson also offers some simple and practical ways to ensure you’re keeping happy and healthy during the chillier months.

“Make sure to keep hydrated because if we have the heaters going, we’re drying out. You don’t always have to have the heaters going, utilise your blankets and jumpers. If you’re struggling to cook, soups are a great food to keep warm, keep full, easy to prepare and a good way to contribute to your fluid intake,” she said.

A great motivator to get you out of the house and getting social is joining a group of volunteers.
Eastern Health Volunteer Yoges Vadiveloo joined the team just under a year ago, inspired by the care she received during her time as a consumer at Eastern Health.

“The Welcome Ambassador role is fantastic, because I discovered that when I first came in I didn’t know where the specialist clinics were. Every time I see a patient coming in and looking lost, I enjoy helping them, and I feel like I’m giving them just a small amount of relief when they’re here,” she said.

Ms Vadiveloo admits she isn’t immune to the clutch of a cosy bed, but her commitment to coming to Eastern Health to volunteer ensures she is up, moving and staying social.

“I can be very lazy during winter, so for me volunteering gives me purpose. It forces me to get up and do something useful. I get to choose areas to get involved in where I feel I’m going to be useful. I feel very happy helping people and there’s a wonderful team of volunteers here. I think everybody needs to volunteer at least once in their life,” she said.