With the cold weather and short, dark days, winter is bad enough on its own. Go figure it’s the time of year you’re most likely to fall ill to a pesky sickness. You can try your best to prevent yourself from coming down with a cold or flu, but it’s going to happen sooner or later. Here are some ways you can cope.

Rest and Relaxation

When you’re sick, your body needs to conserve its strength to fight the bug you’ve developed, and you’re bound to feel more tired than usual. Indulge that feeling and get as much rest and relaxation as possible. While you’re not likely to overstress your body by sticking to a light exercise routine, overdoing could limit your immune system’s ability to fight the cold you have, making you feel even worse. Don’t feel too guilty about sticking to the couch for a few days. This also means getting a good night’s rest, so make sure you get your full seven to nine hours.

Water, Water, Water

It’s important you stay hydrated when you’re healthy, but that’s more true when you’re sick. Coughing, sneezing, and sweating tend to use up more of your body’s hydration when you’ve got the flu, so you’ll need to drink a little more than usual to get those levels back to normal. Of course, water isn’t the only liquid you’re allowed to drink when you’re sick; orange juice, with all its wonderful vitamin C, can also be a good source of hydration when you’re under the weather.

A Cup of Tea

Water and OJ will do you good, but a warm cup of tea is perhaps even better. Tea is a great source of healthy, antioxidants that do wonders such as reduce the risk of heart disease and stop plaque buildup on your teeth. More immediately, though, tea will give you a small caffeine boost to wake you up, and the hot liquid can help sooth your sore throat. Bonus: you can add lemon, honey, and garlic to your tea for added flu-busting benefits.

These remedies will definitely make your cold or flu a little more manageable, but the number one remedy for fighting a sickness is time. Be patient, don’t overexert yourself, and watch your diet — you’ll be feeling better before you know it.

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