"Cold weather itself makes you sick"

Question

Pretty much anyone believes that cold weather can get people sick, but this is only a myth. Colds and flu really do seem more common in the winter but the chill does not get you. Instead, low humidity and being indoors with others make it easier for germs to spread. Dry air dries out the membranes in your nose, so viruses can easily invade. In other words, again, it is germs and not temperature.

Comments

I agree with this claim. The evidence and source provided explain how this misconception can be tied to the shift in human habits during colder months as people spend much more time inside in close quarters with others which helps infections spread as well as how the cold causes dryness in the body weakening germ fighting abilities as well as the increase of time that respiratory illnesses linger in the air all this combined with lower vitamin d levels support your claim and defend it. Your source is also medically reviewed so overall good claim and response!

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This turns into the myth that the cold weather is the cause of illness. This article means that colds are actually more prevalent in winter due to other factors, including the dry air, people being indoors more with close contact, and lower levels of vitamin D. These conditions, it is evident that viruses would have the most opportunities for easy spread. Another article from Northwestern Medicine corroborates this notion, further cementing the fact that it is not the cold that makes people sick, but how winter affects our bodies and behaviors.

Source: Northwestern Medicine

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The notion that cold weather itself causes sickness is untrue. The article from Northwestern Medicine explains that cold weather itself does not directly cause illness, but it can increase the likelihood of getting sick. Cold air weakens the body's ability to fight viruses in the nose and upper airways, making it easier for viruses like the common cold, flu, and COVID-19 to spread in winter. Dry winter air can also help viruses spread more effectively. While cold temperatures don’t directly make you sick, they can create conditions that make the body more susceptible to illness.

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-winter-make-you-sick

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This is a good breakdown of why people get sick more often in the winter! One thing you could add is how behavior changes in colder months and also plays a role in higher illness rates. For example, holiday gatherings, school, and reduced ventilation indoors. Otherwise this is great!

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You bring up a good point about how humidity and being indoors with a lot of people matter more than just the temperature. Plus, it's worth noting that cold weather can mess with our immune systems. Some studies say that being in the cold for a long time might weaken our defenses a bit, making us more likely to catch something. So, while being cold doesn’t directly make us sick, it can definitely play a role.

Answer 1

Once again, I’ve heard this myth my whole life, but I never really believed it. My friends would always say they got sick from being outside in the cold without the right clothes, and my immediate reaction was always, “There’s no way that’s true.” So, I decided to look into it and see if there was any truth behind it.

Right away, when I searched this claim, I found no evidence stating that cold weather directly causes people to get sick. According to the Mayo Clinic, “...the cold weather itself doesn't cause the common cold. However, as winter temps dip down, the chances of spreading a respiratory virus go up because more time is spent indoors with others.” (Mayo Clinic). This means that colder temperatures don’t make people sick, but they do drive people indoors, where there is less airflow and a higher chance of spreading germs. While the article disproves the myth, it does acknowledge a small connection between cold weather and illness. The Mayo Clinic also states, “If you're a little bit colder outside, your body's immune system may just drop a little bit because it's spending extra effort to keep you warm.” (Mayo Clinic). This suggests that, for some people, colder temperatures may slightly weaken the immune system, making it a little easier to catch a virus.

Another source, Medical News Today, also supports that cold weather itself doesn’t cause illness. The article explains, “...rhinoviruses may replicate more efficiently at temperatures lower than 37°C, or 98.6°F, the average core body temperature in humans. The temperature inside the nasal cavity is approximately 33°C (91.4°F), which may make it an ideal breeding ground for rhinoviruses.” (Medical News Today). This means that while cold weather doesn’t directly make people sick, viruses may thrive better in cooler conditions, which could make it easier to catch a cold.

Sources-

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/1-16mayo-clinic-minute-can-cold-weather-cause-a-cold/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323431

Answer 2

According to Northwestern Medicine, the cold itself does not make you sick. During winter months in most places, the overcast and gloomy weather means less sun resulting in lack of vitamin D, a key vitamin for our overall health. Additionally, the dry air from both inside (heating systems) and outside (dry cold climates) drys out our airways, making it harder for healthy bacteria to survive and easier for outside bateria to contaminate our system. 

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-winter-make-you-sick#:~:text=Cold%20weather%20may%20not%20be,more%20easily%20in%20the%20winter.

Answer 3

Although there’s a theory that cold whether itself, makes you sick, it is not true. In the three articles, “Can Cold Weather Actually Make You Sick?” written by Sara Moniuszko from CBS, “Can Being Cold Make You Sick?” written by Karen Weintraub from the NY Times, and “Do You Really Get Sick from Being Cold?” written by Unity Point Health, they all say similar things. They all say that the cold cannot get you sick, but the weather can be a factor of getting a cold. Moniuszko says that because the cold weather encourages people to stay inside and keep warm, this allows more opportunity to have more contact with people that are sick, that are also inside with you. And Unity Point Health said that because you can get hypothermia or frostbite from the cold, that weakens your immune system, which can make you more at-risk to viruses like the cold or the flu, but it is not directly the cold that’s making you sick. So, while the cold itself can’t make you sick, it can affect your body secondarily by another cause like hypothermia, frostbite, or staying indoors with other potentially sick people.

Sources:

Can cold weather actually make you sick? Health and safety dangers to know about this winter

Can Being Cold Make You Sick

Do You Get Sick from Being Cold?

Answer 4

There have been several myths along the lines that cold weather gets you sick, but according to the article I read, the cold itself doesn't get you sick. Instead, the impact of being inside and lowering your immune system is truly getting you sick. I found reputable sources that confirm this and in conclusion I found out the side effects of the cold is actually getting you sick and this headline is partially misleading. 

Comments

I think to improve the credibility of your claim, I would recommend sourcing the articles you've read and explain how they are reputable sources and link them as well. Although, you did explain and argue your point, it'll be even more helpful if you showed where you got your information from!

Answer 5

While cold exposure doesn't directly cause these conditions, such as the common cold or flu, but the viruses themselves do, cold can make the immune system more vulnerable to disease. In cold weather, people stay indoors more, and they are in closer proximity to others. Such conditions favor the spread of viruses. Also, cold air has the effect of dehydrating the mucous membranes in the nose, reducing their effectiveness at removing pathogens. Other studies also show that cold temperatures depress the immune system, making the body more prone to infections. Thus, while cold weather is not the direct cause of illness, it creates conditions that can foster the spread of viruses and increase susceptibility to infections.

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/1-16mayo-clinic-minute-can-cold-weather-cause-a-cold/

Answer 6

The article talks about the effects of cold weather and sickness. As far as the wording goes in the article, they only state trustworthy information saying how the cold could influence other things, but the temperature itself does not. The title is kinda clever though because it makes you engaged. After doing further research I found a New York Times article saying very similar ideas to this as well as a Northwestern University research paper. Comparing info from all the sources, I believe this is a true article.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/well/can-being-cold-make-you-sick.html
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-winter-make-you-sick

Answer 7

Cold weather alone does not make you sick. It does contribute to sickness in the sense that viruses and diseases can spread more easily in the cold, dry air of winter. Also keeping people indoors allows sickness to spread more easily. But the cold itself does not make you sick. The source used in this answer is pretty reliable and upon cross-checking with other sources, it is factual information. I linked one of my sources below which does support the claim that the cold does not make you sick. 

Can the cold really make you sick? | American Heart Association

Answer 8

The cold itself does not make you sick, after reading multiple articles I've found that it can be a contributor, as viruses may survive and reproduce more in the cold. As well as how people gather indoors and lack of vitamin D. 

"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."

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/12/17/can-the-cold-really-make-you-sick

Answer 9

This article explores the saying that cold weather causes illness and backs it up. It says that the misconception is that cold weather causes sickness, but actually, it is the act of being inside more because of the cold that causes germs to spread. The article they chose is not the most reliable, but it still has viable information. A more credible source that backs up the claim is: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/1-16mayo-clinic-minute-can-cold-weather-cause-a-cold/. This article agrees that “the cold weather itself doesn't cause the common cold. However, as winter temps dip down, the chances of spreading a respiratory virus go up because more time is spent indoors with others”(Howland). It also says that when it is a bit colder outside, your body's immune system drops because it works extra hard to keep your body warm. 

Answer 10

The statement "Cold weather itself makes you sick" is false for a few different reasons. Cold weather cannot make you sick in terms of getting the cold or flu, but it can cause frostbite or hypothermia. During the colder, winter season, more people are getting sick because we tend to spend more time indoors than we would when the weather is warmer. This makes it easier for the cold/flu to spread, causing more and more people to get sick. Therefore, yes the weather has an impact on our sickness, but not in the way people usually think.

https://www.unitypoint.org/news-and-articles/do-you-really-get-sick-from-being-cold