The theory holds that humans and nature form a unified whole, and people should align with the natural seasonal changes, arranging their daily routines and rest accordingly. Hong Zhaoguang, Chief Physician at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, points out that when the sun rises, the body's biological clock sends signals, stimulating the sympathetic nervous system—a sign that it's time to wake up.
As winter days shorten and nights lengthen, people should follow the principle of "winter storage," extending sleep duration appropriately. Adjust your schedule to "sleep early and rise late," going to bed one or two hours earlier and waking up one or two hours later than in other seasons, advises Liu Dequan, Chief Physician of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Beijing Geriatric Hospital. Elderly individuals, who naturally have weaker yang energy, should ideally wait until the sun rises before getting out of bed to avoid cold pathogens.Otherwise, exposure to cold may trigger respiratory illnesses like colds, coughs, or asthma, and even induce unexpected events such as angina. Winter Wellness: Eat Breakfast Later, Dinner Earlier With later wake-up times in winter, breakfast should also be delayed. During sleep, the digestive system continues working diligently to process the day's food intake. Eating breakfast too early forces the digestive system to work before it's fully rested.After waking, start with a glass of water before leisurely preparing breakfast, allowing the digestive system ample rest time.
The habit of retiring early also dictates that dinner should be eaten earlier in winter. This is especially crucial for the elderly, whose weaker digestive function requires earlier meals to ensure sufficient time for thorough digestion. This prevents nighttime indigestion and promotes better sleep quality.
Winter Wellness: Eat "Hearty" in the Morning, Drink Thin in the Evening
Here, "hearty" breakfast doesn't refer to hard textures but rather nutrient-rich, energy-dense foods. Liu Dequan explains that a substantial breakfast provides the energy needed for daily activities. Examples include lean meats and whole grains. However, seniors with weaker digestion should also consider food digestibility.
After dinner, physical activity decreases. To prevent food accumulation, eat lightly and choose easily digestible foods like thin porridge. Avoid meat and spicy foods. Evening porridge also nourishes the stomach and calms the mind. Recommended options for seniors include Chinese yam porridge, lotus seed porridge, or red date porridge.
Winter Wellness: Drink Water in the Morning, Honey in the Evening
Traditional Chinese medicine advises:Drink salt water in the morning, honey water at night." Yang Li from the Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences explains that salt has properties to clear heat, cool the blood, detoxify, and nourish the kidneys. Drinking a glass of lightly salted water on an empty stomach after waking helps reduce internal heat, benefit the kidneys, relieve constipation, improve digestive function, and is beneficial for those with heat-related symptoms or sore throats. However, individuals with hypertension or other cardiovascular diseases, as well as those with poor kidney function, should consume it with caution.Generally, salt intake should not exceed 0.9 grams per 100 milliliters of water to avoid straining the kidneys and heart.
Drinking honey water in the evening aids digestion and promotes sleep. Before bed each night, dissolve a spoonful of honey in warm water. However, those who frequently urinate at night should avoid honey due to its high sugar content, which may increase urination; diabetics should also exercise caution.Winter Wellness: Start Morning Exercises Later, Evening Exercises Earlier Whether exercising in the morning or evening, it's essential to adapt to winter's seasonal characteristics. Liu Dequan emphasizes a key principle for choosing exercise times: avoid exercising before sunrise. Therefore, morning workouts should begin after sunrise, and evening sessions should be completed before sunset. This ensures the body's yang energy remains uncompromised.Consequently, winter morning workouts should start later than in other seasons, while evening sessions should begin earlier.
Additionally, the significant indoor-outdoor temperature difference in winter makes early morning exercise prone to causing chills. Vascular constriction may also elevate blood pressure, triggering discomfort. Similarly, late-night workouts risk physical distress due to cold temperatures—elderly individuals with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular conditions should be especially cautious.Winter Wellness: Morning Exercise Focuses on Calm Activities, Evening Exercise Emphasizes Movement Some prefer calisthenics or martial arts, while others enjoy running or dancing. Exercise methods should be chosen based on individual physical conditions.Wu Wenqiang, Associate Professor at Beijing Sport University's School of Education, notes that upon waking, the body remains in a "suppressed" state. Moderate exercise can help restore vitality. However, the body requires a gradual awakening process, so intense morning workouts should be avoided. Morning exercises like calisthenics or Tai Chi are preferable.
By evening, the body has largely warmed up.Research by British exercise physiologists also indicates that after 4 PM and into the evening, human physical strength, reaction time, and adaptability reach optimal levels, while heart rate and blood pressure remain relatively stable. Therefore, slightly more intense activities like ball games or running are suitable. Seniors can opt for dancing or brisk walking. However, if exercise is scheduled 20 minutes after dinner or 10 minutes before bedtime, it should be gentle and calming, such as taking a walk.
Winter Wellness: Sunbathe in the Morning, Soak Feet at Night
Sun exposure aids calcium absorption and boosts energy levels. Liu Dequan recommends morning sunbathing—just 15 minutes can elevate vitamin D levels and enhance calcium uptake. Japan even employs scheduled morning sun exposure as a sleep therapy, as sunlight gradually resets the body's biological clock—a key factor in alleviating insomnia.
Hot foot baths improve blood circulation and enhance sleep quality, making them ideal before bedtime. After a day of activity, the body feels fatigued, and the liver and kidneys urgently need rest and nourishment. Yang Li states that foot soaking is the optimal restorative practice at this time. Liu Dequan also recommends soaking feet in water around 40°C for half an hour before sleep, aiming for warmth without noticeable sweating.After soaking, refrain from further activity and sleep within minutes for optimal results. Winter Health: Supplementation Without Excess Many view winter as the prime season for nutritional supplementation, consuming various tonics in abundance. Many businesses also offer "combo packages" and "pairings" to meet consumer demand.In reality, moderate supplementation is sufficient during winter. The season emphasizes internal storage, not outward dispersion. Excessive supplementation can disrupt bodily equilibrium and lead to illness. Particularly, overusing yang-tonifying or qi-nourishing substances may cause the leakage of vital essence, resulting in "failure to store essence in winter." Therefore, winter supplementation should be measured and prudent, especially with potent tonics like ginseng and deer antler velvet.
Winter Wellness: Savor, but Don't Overindulge
In the bitter cold of winter, many find comfort in a spicy hotpot meal that induces sweating. Yet this practice dissipates the body's yang energy. Winter nourishment should prioritize replenishing yin essence, avoiding excessive use of fiery-hot ingredients. Naturally, cold-natured foods should also be avoided to prevent damaging spleen yang, impairing digestive function, and disrupting the digestive system.In summary, winter diets should emphasize mild and nourishing foods. Consuming porridges enriched with ingredients like red dates, goji berries, longan, white fungus, and lily bulbs—with a touch of ginger—provides nourishment without heaviness, moisturization without dryness, making them ideal for winter tonification. Avoid excessive consumption of fiery foods like lamb and chili peppers, as well as cold foods like fruits and ice cream.
Winter Wellness: Drink Wisely, Not Excessively
Many enjoy warming up with white liquor in winter. Moderate alcohol consumption can indeed benefit health by warming the blood vessels, dispelling wind, and alleviating cold. The postpartum remedy Shenghua Tang is traditionally prepared with white liquor.However, as a warming substance, excessive consumption depletes the body's yang energy. Overindulgence also generates dampness and phlegm, leading to excessive phlegm, dizziness, and lethargy. Many young people today favor sugary beverages, which can cause weight gain. Excessive consumption in winter damages spleen yang, resulting in poor digestion. Additionally, some beverages contain high levels of carbonation, causing bloating.Therefore, avoid excessive consumption of baijiu and cold beverages during winter. Red wine, as nature's most wholesome beverage, offers beauty-enhancing benefits and serves as an excellent winter tonic. Black tea, with its sweet taste and warming nature, helps preserve yang energy, generates heat, and warms the abdomen, bolstering the body's resistance to cold. It also cuts through greasiness, stimulates appetite, and refreshes the mind—making it ideal for winter consumption.