As the temperature continues to drop and snow continues to fall, more and more of us are finding ourselves bed ridden with the common cold or worse…the flu. As I sit in bed, sick with a cold, I think to myself, “I wish I listened to my mom when she told me to wear a heavier coat last week”. And then immediately I think, “Wait, does being cold actually make you sick?”
I’m sure a lot of you have probably wondered the same thing…and the answer is yes…and no. Being cold can’t actually cause you to get sick, but it can affect some major things in your body that weaken your immune system and might cause catching a cold to be easier. Recently, studies were done that show people exposed to ice cold water were more likely to catch a cold than those who did not submerge their feet in the ice water. Temperature also affects the humidity, the way your white blood cells work, and how ‘strong’ viruses can be, all factors that play a role in how and when you get sick.
Moral of the story? Even if the “being cold will make you sick” theory isn’t exactly correct, wearing a coat and proper winter wear can help prevent you from getting sick. Just listen to dear old mom and dad, wear your winter clothes and then they’ll be happy and you’ll have a better chance of not getting sick. This easy to follow video explains why bundling up is as important as your parents say it is.
I live in LA – that’s how I stay warm in the winter, LOL! But no, I really keep warm by drinking a lot of tea, wearing a lot of layers and not braving the cold too often – I am in WY right now, and it’s miserably cold outside, thus I stay indoors and just look at the pretty snow, ha!
I am always cold…even though I live in L.A.! I stay warm by wearing sweatpants, trench coats, boots, and scarfs as soon as the temps drop below 70. Yeah, people give me weird looks, but at least I’m warm 🙂