Can you really get a cold from cold weather?
Many of us will likely remember our mothers warning us: "Don’t go out without a coat or you’ll catch a cold!". While some may have dismissed the plea as an old wives' tale (just like how eating carrots will help you see in the dark), turns out there could actually be some truth in cold weather having an impact on giving us the sniffles.
And with the Met Office warning Brits in some areas to brace themselves for snow and freezing temperatures over Christmas, it's worth knowing whether the cold can really give you a cold.
Can you catch a cold from cold weather?
The minute the temperature drops, many of us also seem to start sneezing, but is this just a coincidence or is the chilly weather actually the cause of our symptoms?
The only way you can actually get a cold is is by coming into contact with the cold virus, usually by breathing in droplets of fluid containing the virus (when someone coughs or sneezes), or by touching something that's been infected and absent-mindedly putting our hands on our face (mouth and nose being worst).
That means as far as respiratory viruses are concerned, the cold doesn’t cause the illness directly, however it can create the conditions that increase the risk of infection.
For the most part, that’s because when its chilly you are likely to spend more time indoors – and with the windows closed, reducing ventilation – both of which give the virus more opportunity to spread from one person to another.
"When the weather is cold we spend more time indoors, potentially socialise more and come in to closer contact meaning that our chances of contracting a viral illness are increased," explains Dr Hannah Burrage, clinical operations lead at Livi.
But, while you can't actually catch a cold from cold weather, cooler temperatures and dry winter air can create an environment that makes us more vulnerable to the virus.
"Viruses are prevented from infecting the nose by producing mucus," explains Dr Nasir Hannan, GP at The London General Practice. "Cold air leads to reduced production of this protective mucus making people more susceptible to viral infections, helping to explain why people are more prone to colds in the winter."
Colder external environments can also make it a challenge for your immune system to fight infections. "The dryer air can make your airways more irritable," explains Dr Burrage. "This can be an additional problem too if you are asthmatic. You can produce more mucus and find that you become more wheezy."
Air that is dry in addition to cold has also been linked to flu outbreaks, with one study suggesting that dry winter air further helps the influenza virus to remain infectious longer. "Colder air can be dryer and this means that the droplet particles of the many hundreds of viruses causing respiratory tract infections (including flu) can stay in the air for longer," Dr Burrage adds.
How your immune system responds during cold weather is another factor. Studies suggest inhaling cold air may adversely affect the immune response in your respiratory tract, which makes it easier for viruses to take hold.
Additionally, we tend to get less sunlight in the winter and the sun is an important source of vitamin D, which is essential for immune health.
Ways to reduce your risk of a winter cold
Wearing a scarf over your nose and mouth may help make it more difficult for the cold virus to take hold.
"I encourage patients to wear hats during the winter and wrapping a scarf over the nose and mouth, as this prevents excessive exposure to the cold air, which will counteract the vulnerability to viral infection,” Dr Hannan advises.
Other things Dr Burrage says you can do to give yourself a better chance of reducing a viral respiratory illness include: practicing good hand hygiene, getting vaccinated if you fall in to target groups, staying as healthy as possible by eating well, sleeping well and not smoking.
She also recommends you wear a coat - so your mum was right, after all.
Read more about winter health and wellness:
11 ways to protect yourself against winter illnesses as NHS warns of 'quad-demic' (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read)
Why do colds and viruses seem so bad at the moment? (Yahoo Life, 5-min read)
Seven ways the cold weather impacts our physical health (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
