However, there are things you can do to make this process a little easier – you can check out our guides to sleeping better during autumn and winter, including when it’s cold outside – to find out more.

5. Look after your gut health

Your gut – which stretches from your mouth to your intestines – provides a barrier between your body and the outside world. In this way, looking after the lining of your gut, which is made up of a mucosal layer which protects the body from bacteria, viruses and fungi, can help to improve your overall immunity.

Research has also found that the gut microbiome could play a role in immune health, too. “The gut functions as a big part of the immune system for various reasons,” nutritional therapist Marjolein Dutry van Haeften previously told Strong Women.

“Essentially, the immune system is primed to identify invaders that shouldn’t be there (not all of which cause disease). Our microbiome and body work together to recognise disease-causing agents and set them apart from harmless foreign material.”

For more information on how you can improve your gut health for better immunity, you can check out our guide.

How to prepare your immune system for cold and flu season, according to an expert