Tips for Managing Your Neurological Condition This Winter

Image courtesy of Freepix

Adapted from an MS-UK Guide

This guide was written specifically for those living with MS but applies to anyone living with other chronic or neurological conditions.

Winter can be a challenging time when you’re living with a chronic condition. The cold weather can affect symptoms, darker days can impact mood, and fatigue often feels harder to manage.

Preparing for Winter

Get your vitamin D

Our bodies make vitamin D from sunlight, but in the UK, there isn’t enough sun for most people to meet their targets. Low vitamin D is implicated in both disease activity and as a possible environmental risk factor for the development of MS, but more research is needed.

Public Health England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advise everyone to take a supplement of vitamin D, and especially in the winter months. They don’t make any recommendations specifically for people with MS, but for bone health in people in the general population, they recommend 10 micrograms daily, which is 400 IU.

Most neurologists like their MS patients to have a daily dose of between 2,000 and 5,000 IU of vitamin D.

The flu vaccine

The flu jab helps to protect you from the worst effects of the most common strain of flu that’s circulating in a particular year. As a person with MS, you qualify for a free flu jab on the NHS, and so does your partner or carer.

You may also be offered shingles and COVID-19 vaccinations. It is generally recommended that you get the flu vaccine. It’s possible that an infection such as flu could make your symptoms worse. The flu itself can also be very serious.

You should ask your doctor which other vaccinations you should have. Colds and flu are more common in winter because people are indoors in close proximity more frequently, which allows viruses to spread. Avoid catching germs by washing your hands thoroughly and regularly when you have touched surfaces or handles in public. Continuing to social distance from people not within your household can also help you avoid catching germs.

The cold weather

While it’s well known that the heat can exacerbate symptoms, the cold can trigger problems too. Muscle stiffness and spasms can worsen, as can pain and mobility. Nerve pain in particular can be affected by the cold, including trigeminal neuralgia, altered sensations, the MS hug, and altered sensations such as numbness and tingling.

Most problems pass once you have warmed back to a normal temperature, but it’s wise to try and stay warm.

Wearing several thin layers helps with temperature regulation, especially if you are passing through different environments.

If you feel the cold more than others in your household, you can create your own personal heating system with an electric blanket and/or a hot water bottle.

Extreme weather in the winter can also pose potential hazards when you are out and about. Keeping active and exercising before winter’s arrival are very important. Practising balance routines and strengthening muscles will help keep you active and improve your stability.

Winter fuel payment scams

The UK government has warned of a sharp rise in scam text messages about Winter Fuel Payments, with reports jumping by 153 per cent at the end of September 2025. Fraudsters are posing as officials and asking people to “apply” or share bank details. You do not need to apply, if you are eligible, your Winter Fuel Payment is made automatically. Most people will receive a letter in October or November confirming the amount, with payments due between mid-November and December 2025.

If you get a text about Winter Fuel Payments, do not reply, do not click any links, and do not share personal information. Forward suspicious texts to 7726 for free so your network can block the sender, then delete the message. If you receive a scam email claiming to be from HMRC, forward it to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.

Being Part of The Brightwell Community This Winter

The Brightwell offers a warm, friendly atmosphere to everyone in our community.

Now that we have our own Café, we can offer warm drinks and food until 2:30pm every day. However, you are welcome to spend time here with us for the whole time that the Centre is open.

If you feel that your physical or mental health is suffering at any time, please pick up the phone or come along to the Centre, there will always be someone to talk to and who will be pleased to listen.

Click here to view the full MS-UK article.