Cases of respiratory illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus are expected to surge as holiday travel and gatherings increase.

After all, these viruses spread best when people gather indoors and in close proximity to each other. While we typically see a steady increase in respiratory illnesses this time of year, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doomed.

There are a number of things you can do to protect your health and reduce the chances of sneezing and coughing when you get home. We asked four doctors what they can do to stay healthy during the holidays. This is what they said:

Get enough sleep.

This is a simple trick, but a very effective one. Even just one night of sleep deprivation can have a considerable impact on your health.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces fewer infection-fighting antibodies and cells. Research shows that the risk of contracting infectious diseases, including the common cold, may be increased.

Getting a good night’s sleep during the holidays can be difficult, but if you can get about seven to nine hours of sleep per night according to the National Institutes of Health’s guidelines, it’s worth it.

To help yourself fall asleep, it’s recommended to swap your screen for a book or mindfulness activity an hour or so before bed. If you live with noisy relatives, consider using a sound system as research shows this can significantly improve sleep quality and duration. Aim to keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool – evidence suggests the ideal range is around 60 degrees. However, older adults may prefer a little warmth.

Stay up to date on their routine vaccinations.

Another thing to keep up with is vaccinations. The coronavirus and flu vaccines are especially important because we see new strains of these viruses every year.

These vaccines will provide the best protection against currently circulating strains of the virus. They can completely prevent infection or prevent people from getting serious illnesses that require hospitalization.

You can get vaccinated (and learn which vaccinations are right for you) at your local pharmacy, urgent care, community health clinic, or primary care doctor. You can use this resource from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to find vaccination sites in your area.

Wash their hands ― a lot.

Washing your hands is one of the easiest ways to avoid getting sick because it helps you remove germs from your body quickly and effectively. Aim to wash your hands with soap and water for about 20 seconds. If you don’t have access to a sink, soap, or water, you can choose a hand sanitizer that contains 60% alcohol.

This is probably the most important thing we can do to prevent the spread of disease, and it’s especially important during the holidays when we tend to spend more time around people who may not have as strong of an immune system as they used to.

So, how often should you wash your hands?Ideally, any time you touch food, your pets, other people, or shared surfaces (like doorknobs or touch screens). Doing so can significantly reduce the spread of bacterial and viral organisms that cause respiratory and gastrointestinal illness.

Stay physically active.

Experts also emphasize staying physically active during the holidays. There are two reasons for doing this: for the benefit of your sanity and your physical health.

Exercise is an effective stress reliever because it causes our bodies to produce endorphins, or feel-good hormones that can improve our mood. According to the CDC, regular physical activity also promotes blood sugar control, brain and heart health, and weight management.It may also make the immune system more effective, reducing the risk of community-acquired infectious diseases, according to a study published in 2021.

It’s recommended not to go all out too quickly, but instead find a way to exercise that you enjoy—perhaps a daily walk or an online exercise class at home—so you can progress gradually and avoid exercise burnout as you enter the new year.

Try to keep germs out of the home.

Exposure to germs is inevitable, especially during the holidays. Colds are often forgotten while traveling, gathering with loved ones, or even coming home from get off work or school, and flu germs can be lurking on hundreds of common surfaces we encounter every day.

For example, the flu virus can survive on some surfaces for up to 48 hours, according to the CDC. A recent study from Imperial College London found that coronavirus spreads primarily through households, often through frequently touched household surfaces such as refrigerators, kitchen sinks and coffee pots.

After a long day at work or school, it can be tempting to head straight to the kitchen or couch, dragging pathogens in with you. To prevent this from happening, set up a designated drop-off area near your front door where family members can leave their shoes, work supplies, and school bags before going inside. The second tip is to disinfect shared surfaces in your home whenever you can – counters, light switches, faucet handles and suitcases.

We may not be able to completely eliminate bacteria from our environment, but there are steps we can take to reduce the number of pathogens we are exposed to. As we head into the holidays, give these doctor-backed tips a try—they’ll likely help you stay healthy during a season notorious for stuffy noses and sore throats.