For those of us who face a cold wet winter ahead, the tendency to want to do as little as possible and hibernate until it’s all over is natural enough.

Although a certain amount of hibernating is a good idea, keeping active is vitally important for keeping a raised body temperature that helps us to function properly. This is particular true for seniors and some form of exercise such as just moving around at home, going for short walks and doing some simple stretches or yoga can all help to keep everything circulating making you less prone to illness.

When the days are bright and dry, go for a walk if possible. Make sure you bundle up well with several layers of clothing and good sensible shoes along with a warm hat and gloves. Just being outside in the fresh air in natural light can lift your mood and make you feel better.

Also make sure you eat plenty of fruit to give you that extra vitamin C along with plenty of good nourishing foods.

Winter is also that time of year when you might become aware of drafts that you didn’t know you had. It is vital not to sit for long periods of time in a draft as this can dramatically lower your body’s temperature, making it harder for you to warm up again. As insulation can be costly, why not try a bit of recycling, using sleeves from old clothes. Stuff them with other recycled materials to make draft excluders to stop up those gaps. If this isn't possible for you, change your seating position to make sure you are not constantly sitting in a draft. Wear fleece slippers and have a fleece blanket handy to wrap around you when sitting still for long periods of time, they are very cheap to buy and really keep the heat in.

It is also important to keep the mind active by reading a good book or getting stuck into a hobby. Invite friends round for lunch or tea and have fun together doing crosswords or puzzles.

So don’t dread the winter. See it as a time to test your resilience and discover how ingenious you can be at staying warm and healthy. Tackle it as a project to get you through the winter months. Even if you can’t get outside on those beautiful bright winter days take the time to look out of the window and notice the changes in nature. Raindrops look beautiful in different lights. Remember we are all part of nature and need to feel connected to feed our body and spirit and in five or six months time everything including us will be springing back.