Winter can be harder on older bodies and household budgets alike. But a few simple habits, from keeping warm and moving regularly to eating well and staying connected, can make a real difference to how you feel through the colder months.
As the weather cools down, winter wellness becomes about much more than just dodging the seasonal sniffles. For many retirees, colder days can affect energy, mobility, mood and motivation, especially if getting out and about becomes less appealing or the cost of heating starts to rise.
New Zealand guidance for older adults consistently points to the same foundations of wellbeing: keeping warm, staying active, eating well, reducing fall risks and staying socially connected.
That matters because winter has a way of making everyday challenges feel a little heavier. A damp house can sap comfort. Darker mornings can make movement feel harder. Social plans can quietly drop away.
None of this means winter has to be endured grimly, but it does mean a bit of planning can go a long way.
For older people, feeling cold is not just uncomfortable, it can affect health, confidence and day-to-day wellbeing. HealthEd’s ageing well guidance includes keeping warm in winter as a key part of healthy ageing, while Age Concern’s winter fact sheet highlights practical steps such as blocking draughts, dressing in layers and paying attention to the rooms you use most.
Keeping a home warm and dry does not have to mean heating every corner of the house all day.
Often it is the smaller choices that help most:
It is easy to become less active during winter, but that can increase the risk of losing strength, balance and confidence.
ACC says keeping active helps improve strength and balance and can lower the risk of falls and injuries for people over 65.
Age Concern also notes that around one in three New Zealanders over 65 will have a fall each year, making falls prevention an important part of staying independent.
The good news is that movement does not have to be strenuous to be worthwhile. A short walk later in the day, stretching at home, light gardening, chair-based exercises or a local balance class can all help.
The goal is not intense exercise. It is keeping your body moving regularly enough to support strength, steadiness and confidence.
Food plays an important role in winter wellbeing too.
Health New Zealand’s guidance for older people says eating well helps ensure you get the nutrients you need and maintain a healthy weight, while broader healthy-ageing guidance also points to the importance of nutrition and hydration as we get older.
Winter can be a good time to lean into simple, nourishing meals that are easy to prepare and satisfying to eat soups, casseroles, porridge, cooked vegetables and meals with enough protein to help support strength and energy.
Just as importantly, it helps to keep drinking fluids even when you do not feel as thirsty as you might in summer.
One part of winter wellness that is easy to overlook is connection.
When the weather turns cold, it is common to stay home more, postpone plans or let routines slide. But social connection is just as important as physical activity when it comes to ageing well.
Age Concern’s winter guidance encourages older adults to stay connected with their communities, and local Age Concern groups across New Zealand offer social connection activities specifically aimed at reducing isolation.
Small points of contact can lift mood, strengthen routine and make winter feel less isolating.
Have you thought about Lifetime Retirement Income to look after your money in retirement?
They know that people spending in retirement require significantly different strategies to those who are saving for retirement. They manage retirees money a little differently to people who are saving for retirement. The reason for that is they have to make sure retirees savings last.
So click on the button below and take a couple of minutes to read all about them.