In the cold winter, many people choose to wash their faces with hot water in the morning. In fact, rinsing your face with slightly cool water early in the day not only helps you wake up and feel more energized, but also can help prevent colds caused by sudden exposure to cold air when you go outside. This is because washing with cold water enhances the body’s cold tolerance, stimulates and improves blood circulation in the face, and strengthens the nasal mucosa’s ability to adapt to cold air.

In addition, in the evening you can soak your feet in warm water or hot ginger water for 15 to 20 minutes, which helps promote blood circulation and boost the body’s immune function. The water level should ideally cover the area above the ankles; you may also add a little salt or vinegar to the bath and keep topping up with hot water as needed, continuing until the tops of your feet turn slightly pink—just be careful not to let the temperature get too high. This method is particularly effective for mild wind-cold colds, headaches, and coughs.

Rinsing your mouth once in the morning and once in the evening with mild salt water can help eliminate oral bacteria. In the early stages of a cold, rinsing with strong salt water can also be somewhat effective. If your throat is both itchy and sore, try rinsing with strong salt water—about every 10 minutes—and repeat several times; the symptoms should then begin to ease.

The Dazhui acupoint is located at the depression beneath the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra at the lower end of the neck. Scraping or cupping at the Dazhui point can help prevent colds and may also be somewhat effective in alleviating cervical spondylosis.

The thenar eminence is located on the palmar surface of the hand at the base of the thumb and extends down to the palm’s heel; it is the prominently raised area that becomes evident when the hand is fully extended. Rubbing the thenar eminences of both hands alternately, one above the other, until warmth is felt in both hands, can promote blood circulation and unblock the flow of qi and blood, which is highly beneficial for preventing and treating colds. It also helps alleviate symptoms such as sore throat, sneezing, clear nasal discharge, nasal congestion, and cough.

Properly opening windows for ventilation can effectively reduce the presence of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms indoors. However, in winter, prolonged window ventilation can lower indoor temperatures, increasing the risk of catching a chill; therefore, whether to ventilate and how long to do so should be determined based on the specific conditions of indoor air quality and temperature.

Regularly drinking ginger water can help warm the middle jiao and dispel cold; individuals with a wind-heat common cold may also benefit from drinking chrysanthemum tea to dispel wind and clear heat.

Reducing sodium intake from table salt can increase lysozyme levels in saliva, thereby protecting the mucosal epithelial cells of the oral cavity and pharynx and stimulating them to produce more immunoglobulin A and interferon to combat cold viruses. Therefore, limiting daily salt consumption to no more than 5 grams is highly beneficial for the prevention and treatment of the common cold.

Research suggests that humming, much like the buzzing of bees, can help open the openings connecting the sinuses to the nasal cavity, making breathing easier and facilitating the drainage of nasal mucus. To practice, sit in a comfortable position, take a deep breath in through your nose, and as you exhale, produce a humming sound that creates vibrations throughout your nasal passages, chest, and head. Humming not only prolongs exhalation but also helps alleviate anxiety and promote relaxation.

Although winter is cold, avoid overdressing—just dress warmly enough to stay cozy while allowing your body to regulate its temperature effectively. If you start sweating, don’t immediately strip off your clothes; instead, let the sweat evaporate to prevent catching a chill from the wind.

The Shangxing acupoint is located on the head, directly 1 cun above the midpoint of the anterior hairline; the Yingxiang acupoint is situated on the face, at the midpoint of the outer edge of the nasal ala and in the nasolabial groove. Pressing and massaging these two points with the index fingers of both hands can help clear the nasal passages, dispel cold, and relieve rhinorrhea. The Jianjing acupoint lies in the middle of the region from the neck to the shoulder tip, where the muscles are particularly well developed. Use the thumb, index, and middle fingers of both hands to grasp the Jianjing acupoint on the opposite side and perform lifting-and-pulling maneuvers 10 times; this technique helps to dispel wind, scatter cold, and release the exterior, effectively alleviating symptoms of wind-cold common cold.