"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

This fact check proved the difference between a popular myth and the reality of the immune system. The article was from a trusted medical source, therefore supporting the fact check even more versus a random article making a claim. According to Medical News Today, cold weather does not directly cause a cold, so a claim being made about cold weather itself making you sick would be wrong. While cold weather still may impact the function of nasal passages when it comes to the immune defense system, it is not the exact main cause of sickness.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323431#rhinoviruses-and-the-common-cold

Answer 2

After doing research it shows that the claim is true. The source that was used seems to be very reliable giving a lot of information about the myth that "cold weather itself makes you sick" and the parts that are true and false. I found a source from the Mayo Clinic that talks about how the weather itself doesn't make you sick but rather the chances of catching a respiratory virus is higher."But, he says the cold weather itself doesn't cause the common cold. However, as winter temps dip down, the chances of spreading a respiratory go up because more time is spent indoors with others." Overall the claim that cold weather itself does not make you sick is true, but the cold does have an impact on you getting sick due to being inside and around more people.

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

Answer 3

Cold weather doesn't directly make you sick, but there are reasons why sicknesses are more prevalent in the winter months. Since is is cold out, people are more likely to spend time indoors, to avoid the cold climate. In a enclosed space, it is more likely that sickness will spread, compared to being outdoors. The best cure for a respiratory virus that you got in the winter is to rest and get plenty of sleep, eat healthy, and lay low until you are feeling better. This makes it so you will recover better, and will prevent others around you from contracting your sickness.

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

Answer 4

The claim that people can get sick from cold weather has been a common myth for a while. I remember when I was younger and being told to wear a jacket when it was cold out to "not get sick". Cold weather can however play a role in how you can get sick. According to Penn State University, "researchers found that inhaling cool air (<40° Fahrenheit) through the nose in the winter season may impair the nose’s antiviral immune response function". This impairment can make people more susceptible to immune viruses and the common cold or flu. In the winter your body can loose heat faster than it can produce heat. So, bundling up may be the best option for not getting frostbite or hypothermia. Overall, there are some ways to not get sick during the colder seasons. Some of these ways include, washing your hands often, getting a vaccine, getting outside and even wearing a mask. Staying inside can allow viruses to spread more easily because of heat and dryness. Going outside can benefit your overall immune health and can be healthy for you if you dress appropriately. In the end, cold weather can affect your health in some ways it can also be beneficial to get fresh air during the cold months of the year. 

https://5210.psu.edu/fact-or-fiction-cold-weather-makes-you-sick/ 

Answer 5

I would say I disagree with your comment, because the cold could technically make you sick. "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. That's not with everybody, but, in some cases, it may predispose you to a cold," says Dr. Bracamonte, from the article that is called “Mayo Clinic Minute: Can cold weather cause a cold?” The fact that cold causes your body to take more energy to heat you up.  Then that results leaves you more vulnerable to germs, I would say cold is a factor in the determination of if you could possibly get sick. If your body had the strength instead of using it to heat you up, the germ wouldn’t be as a problem. Of course that is not the only factor, in such where cold causes more hot spot of people to be formed. This results to already sick humans contaminating the non-sick. I would note though the cold does not create the germs, and that it’s more the germ thrives in cold conditions. 

Additionally, in the article “What Does Exposure to Cold Do to My Body?’ That is written by MD and reviewed by Stephanie S. Gardner, MD the “super-cold air, wind, or water can make you sick.” Proving the statement that the cold can get you sick. 

Sources: 

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

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/exposure-to-cold-do-to-body

Answer 6

this claim I believe is untrue but it is misleading. from sources, I read it states that when it gets colder we breathe in cold air through the nose and enter the upper airways so our immune system weakens unlike the warm weather, so more people are likely to get a cold or a virus when it is colder and spread germs to others. so that's where the misconception that "the cold weather makes you sick". but for others believing that the cold weather makes you sick we stay inside and those germs can also make us ill. "Air inside your home also tends to be dry in the winter due to heating, and this can dry out your nasal passages, making them less effective at fighting off viruses." the article states another reason how it can be misleading "The cold makes you sick"

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-winter-make-you-sick#:~:text=Low%20temperatures%20can%20increase%20the,more%20easily%20in%20the%20winter.

Answer 7

The belief that cold weather itself makes you sick is a common myth, but scientific research shows that cold temperatures do not directly cause illness. Instead, viruses like the flu and common cold spread more easily in colder months due to people spending more time indoors in close contact. Additionally, lower humidity in winter allows airborne viruses to survive longer, increasing the risk of transmission. Cold weather can also weaken the immune response slightly, making individuals more susceptible to infections but not directly causing them. Studies have found that the real culprits behind winter illnesses are viral pathogens, not the temperature itself. To stay healthy, it’s crucial to practice good hygiene, such as handwashing and getting vaccinated, rather than simply bundling up to avoid sickness.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/misconceptions.htm

Harvard Medical School: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/does-cold-weather-cause-the-cold-or-flu

National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/01/cold-flu-season

Comments

This is a good response in that it utilizes multitasking reputable sources to verify the original claim, however it could be improved by addressing the original source and its validity. Overall great job!

Answer 8

I agree, Cold weather itself doesn't directly make you sick, but it can be a contributing factor. lower temperatures drive people indoors, increasing close contact and exposure to germs. cold, dry air also weakens nasal defences, making it easier for viruses to invade. while viruses are the true cause of illness, winter conditions create an environment that can sustain germs and help them spread more easily.

source: verywell health

Answer 9

After researching this claim, I discovered a couple of sources to determine whether or not cold weather makes individuals sick. I first started with checking your source, Very Well Health, and their credibility. According to Media Bias fact check, the credibility is high and the information in the article can be trusted. My first source, is Medical News Today. According to Media Bias Fact Check, this source has high credibility, just as your source from Very Well Health also did. My article title, ‘Whats the link between cold weather, and the common cold?’ determines the connection. In this article, they share that cold weather directly does not cause a cold. The colder weather may impact your nasal cavity, “The temperature inside the nasal cavity is approximately 33°C (91.4°F), which may make it an ideal breeding ground for rhinoviruses.” From what I learned, this claim is false, but also just a poor question. The cold weather does not directly make an individual ill but it can cause your immune system to not be as strong as it would be if your body temperature were warmer.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323431#cold-weather-and-viruses

Answer 10

"Cold weather makes you sick" This is actually something my mother and grandmother used to tell me all the time when I was younger, which is why I decided to respond to this post. I did some investigating on if this was true or not and found an article named "Do you really get sick from being cold." By Unity Point health. It states in this article that yes viruses do occur more in colder weather but that dose not mean that technically the weather is what makes you sick, just the virus. I understand the correlation but its more a myth than a real fact.