If you’re feeling the pull towards hibernation – wellness practitioners say it’s time to slow down. Resist overloading your schedule, embrace the longer nights with adequate sleep and above all else – don’t push yourself. ‘Winter in Tassie is not the time to be feeling like a hamster on a wheel,’ Goulds naturopath Belinda Robson says.

‘Hibernation and slowing down are a natural pattern for all animals but we humans tend to push on with our busy lives and try to ignore it.’ She recommends self-care, getting to bed early and taking the time to make nourishing soups, broths and immunity-boosting tonics to ward off any coughs and colds. Tonics are traditionally made with garlic, ginger, lemon, chilli, turmeric, cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar. Boil it all together, sieve and sip.

Ginger has long been regarded as an immunity powerhouse for its anti-inflammatory properties, high levels of vitamin C and magnesium. “Ginger stimulates circulation to your fingers and toes, which is helpful for people feeling cold and chilly with a cold or flu, and for reducing the stagnation that occurs when you are sick and spending a lot of time not moving much,” Belinda says.

Garlic has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties, helping to ward off a cold – and lessen the severity. But it’s not just what we eat and drink that will help us stay well this winter.