Most people have probably heard some variation of that parental plea while growing up, or even directed such advice to their own children. It's a sensible request, though when it comes to avoiding illness when temperatures dip, it's not quite so simple.
"It's multifactorial. Just given cold weather alone doesn't make you sick," said Dr. Virginia Banks of Northeast Ohio Infectious Disease Associates in Youngstown. "There are just a lot of variables."
For one, viruses may survive and reproduce more easily in the cold, dry air of winter. Plus, cold weather keeps people indoors, and viruses can spread more easily in close quarters. And although laboratory research suggests cold temperatures can make immune cells less effective, Banks said in the end, viruses – not the cold weather – are what make you sick.
While many different respiratory viruses cause the common cold, rhinoviruses are the most common trigger for those runny noses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rhinoviruses also can cause asthma attacks and have been linked to sinus and ear infections.
Most versions of rhinoviruses replicate more robustly in nasal passages, where the temperature is usually about 91 to 95 degrees, lower than the core body temperature of 98.6. "Viruses tend to enter the body through your nasal passages, and the temperature being lower lends itself to them replicating," Banks said.
Influenza viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 also can enter the body through the nose.
Banks is eager to see how active this winter's flu season will be after the CDC said activity for the 2020-21 season was "unusually low." Likely explanations included the introduction of pandemic mitigation measures.
To avoid getting sick this winter, Banks said those measures – wearing masks, especially indoors; social distancing; staying home; and hand-washing – provide an important layer of protection. And she urged people to get their flu and COVID vaccines. Other tips to keep the immune system strong include exercising, eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep.
She also implored people to schedule checkups with their doctor if they have avoided visits during the pandemic. That's because viruses aren't the only health issue people should be thinking about this winter.
Some research shows an association between colder air temperatures and adverse impacts on cardiovascular health. For instance, a 2018 study in Sweden published in JAMA Cardiology found more heart attacks happened on days with low air temperatures, low air pressure, higher winds and shorter duration of sunlight.
A 2016 study in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases found lower average air temperatures and bigger 24-hour temperature swings were associated with hospitalizations for stroke. The authors cited a need for more research to determine why.
Theresa Beckie, a professor in the College of Nursing and College of Medicine Cardiology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, urged those diagnosed with heart disease to be particularly cautious in the cold.
"A really good example is that there have been several studies of sedentary individuals shoveling snow after a heavy snowfall," Beckie said. "These weekend warriors, if they have ischemic heart disease, have a risk of precipitating a heart attack."
Sudden exertion stimulates adrenaline and a stress response in your body that may increase heart rate, Beckie said. "So yes, there is a risk, but it's not so much due to the cold but the sudden physical activity of holding your breath, shoveling snow and creating sudden stress on the heart."
It's still important to stay active in the winter, though Beckie said people should be mindful of their physical fitness before jumping straight into too strenuous of an activity. For instance, someone who is not as active should take breaks while clearing a foot of snow from their driveway – or to pay a service to do it.
"Acclimation is everything," Beckie said. "Just take things slowly."
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“Can you get sick from being cold? Yes, but not in terms of a cold or the flu. This comes from frostbite and/or even hypothermia. If you get frostbite or hypothermia, this can weaken the immune system, which leaves you more at-risk for getting illnesses, such as the common cold and/or the flu.”
While cold weather does not directly cause a cold, the viruses that cause colds may spread more easily in lower temperatures. Various steps can help a person avoid getting sick during the colder months. In this article, we examine the relationship between cold and wet weather and the common cold.
In some people — especially those with weakened immune systems — a cold could lead to other conditions that could cause severe health problems. Those complications include: Asthma. Sinus infections.
Super-cold air, wind, or water can make you sick. It's called cold stress. It can affect you in different ways, depending on climate conditions, how you're dressed, medical conditions you might have, and how long you're out in it.
Cold air inflames lungs and inhibits circulation, increasing the risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma attacks or symptoms, worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infection.
Dr. Hame explains that cold showers are safe and pose no health threat for most healthy people. But consult your primary care physician (PCP) if you have concerns or have been diagnosed with: Cold urticaria (hives), a skin reaction to cold exposure. Heart disease, since a shock of cold may put added stress on the heart.
Once you get over a cold, some antibodies against the virus stay in your body. If you get exposed to that virus again, your body will remember and make more antibodies to fight it off. In some cases, that quick response means you won't get sick again.
The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery. The common cold is a mild upper respiratory infection caused by viruses.
This is one of the most persistent myths about colds. The only way you get sick is when you come into contact with a virus. Cold air may irritate a condition you already have, like asthma, which could make your body more receptive to a cold virus. But you still need to come in contact with the virus.
Unless you've had a run-in with that exact strain of the virus before, the initial attack can fail and your body sends in reinforcements. Your nose and throat get inflamed and make a lot of mucus. With so much of your energy directed at fighting the cold virus, you're left feeling tired and miserable.
Sorry, mom, but the short answer is no. Wet hair in a cold environment can make you feel cold and uncomfortable. But it will not give you a cold. Viruses transmitted through bodily fluids cause colds, influenza and COVID-19.
“Fresh air can be good for some colds that babies and toddlers get, such as croup – a viral cold that gives kids a bark-like cough,” says Smith. “The cool air can help their breathing, especially if the air is humidified a bit.” Think: Using an open window in a bathroom with shower steam.
Studies show, “the human immune system can be activated when exposed to the cold, and it enhances someone's ability to fight infections.” It is known that while you sleep that your body's core temperature drops faster during the winter than in the summer.
Low temperatures can increase the likelihood of getting sick. The body is not as effective at fighting a virus when cold air enters the nose and upper airways, so viruses such as the common cold, the flu and COVID-19 often spread more easily in the winter.
Sitting or sleeping in a cold room is not good for you and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, chest infections and breathing problems. “Try to keep indoor temperatures to at least 18c if you can, we have included information about help available with heating costs in the tips below.
Getting a chill can bring on a cold. So bundle up and keep your feet warm and dry. Infectious disease specialists may ridicule the hoary concept that cold wet feet can trigger the symptoms of a common cold. Viruses cause these infections, not wet feet, they argue.
The good news is the human body is quite remarkable. Our body, in numerous ways, has a great ability to acclimate to colder temperatures. People have always lived in a wide variety of climates. To adjust to these climates, humans have adapted physiologically, genetically and culturally.
A body temperature that is too low, however, can be a sign of a health condition or even a life-threatening emergency. If you have a consistently low body temperature and you feel cold all the time, it's best to bring it up with your provider.
Dry air — indoors or outside — can lower resistance to infection by viruses. So can allergies, lack of sleep, stress, not eating properly, or being around someone who smokes. And smokers are more likely to catch colds than people who don't smoke.
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