It’s no secret that playing sports can increase your risk of contracting an illness. Whether it’s a high five after a good game or an exchange of airborne germs from close contact, staying healthy and active can prove to be challenging. What are some things you can do to help prevent getting sick and staying on track with your fitness and sport regime? We’ve compiled some tips to help you out this winter:

Wash your hands

Consistent and proper handwashing can help prevent the spread of germs. During sport activities, we often don’t even realize the amount of times we touch our eyes, nose, mouth and come into contact with others. Being mindful of this and washing your hands frequently, can help stop germs from entering your body and spreading illness.

Stay home

Keeping your germs at home and taking the time to get better can make all the difference in preventing a “snowball effect” of passing along germs. If you’re sick with more than the common cold, it is best not to share and take the time to rest and get well.

Get lots of sleep

One of the most important steps to staying healthy involves sound sleep habits. Aim to get seven to eight hours of sleep nightly. Athletes should work on adopting a relaxing sleep routine to help wind down and prepare their body for sleep. In addition, adopting sleep promoting habits that will help you relax such as meditation, gentle stretching and a warm bath are effective. Epsom salts are high in magnesium which is a sleep promoting mineral.

Eat your greens

A well-rounded diet filled with plenty of antioxidant-rich yellow, red, blue and orange fruits and vegetables will aid in combating viruses and may even help a runny nose. And the high chlorophyll content of dark green vegetables gives the immune system a boost. Aim to get eight to 10 servings a day to keep you feeling strong, healthy and better able to fight off infection.

Being an athlete often means that you have a strong immune system, but don’t take this for granted as germs are stronger than ever and illness is easily spread. By taking the above steps, you can decrease your risk and that of others. Stay healthy and active this season and keep the flu bug at bay!