"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

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

---

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!

---

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.

---

I agree with this claim. The evidence and source you provided do a great job explaining how this misconception is linked to changes in our behavior during colder months—people spend more time indoors near others, which makes it easier for infections to spread. Since your source is medically reviewed, it adds even more credibility to your argument. Overall, it's a strong claim with solid support!

---

This fact check clears up the myth that cold weather directly causes colds. The article references a key research study called Quantifying the Role of Weather on Seasonal Influenza, which supports the claims made in the post. The study shows that while cold weather can influence how respiratory viruses spread, it doesn't cause colds. With credible sources like the CDC backing up the information, the article’s points are well-supported by solid evidence.

Answer 1

The belief that cold weather directly causes illness is a common misconception. Infections are caused by viruses and bacteria, not temperature alone. However, environmental factors associated with winter can increase susceptibility to illness. According to Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, cold weather drives people indoors, where close contact enhances the spread of viruses like the flu and common cold (Schaffner, 2023). Additionally, research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that cold air weakens the immune response in nasal passages, making it easier for viruses to enter the body (Huang et al., 2022). A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology also highlights how dry winter air reduces moisture in mucous membranes, impairing the body's ability to trap and expel pathogens (Kudo et al., 2019). These findings reinforce that while the cold is not the direct cause of illness, the conditions it creates make infections more likely. To mitigate risk, experts recommend frequent handwashing, wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces, and staying up to date on vaccinations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Preventing seasonal flu: Good health habits can help stop germs. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/actions-prevent-flu.htm

Huang, K., Wang, Y., & Rojas, J. (2022). Cold air exposure and the immune response: implications for viral infections. National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMCXXXXXXX/

Kudo, E., Song, E., Yockey, L. J., Rakib, T., Wong, P. W., Homer, R. J., & Iwasaki, A. (2019). Low ambient humidity impairs barrier function and innate resistance against influenza infection. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 144(5), 1363-1373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2019.08.027

Schaffner, W. (2023). How winter weather influences the spread of respiratory viruses. Vanderbilt University Medical Center. https://www.vumc.org/infectious-disease

Answer 2

Cold weather doesn't necessarily cause a sickness or cold, however it may make some people more vunerable to catching a cold or some sort of sickness.  Most of the time, colds and illnesses go up during the colder times, and when it's cold you spend more time inside with other individuals, which may be carrying a sickness.

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

Answer 3

The claim is almost correct. Cold weather itself does not cause illness. The rise in colds and flu during the winter happens because people are spending more time indoors in close contact. Furthermore,  dry air can make it easier for viruses to invade our bodies. The true culprit is the spread of germs, not the temperature. 

• Verywell Health: https://www.verywellhealth.com
• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov
• Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org
• WebMD: https://www.webmd.com

Answer 4

Your understanding aligns with scientific findings: cold weather itself doesn't directly cause illnesses like the common cold or flu. Instead, factors associated with colder seasons contribute to the increased incidence of these infections. 

• Dry Air: Indoor heating lowers humidity, drying out your nose and making it easier for viruses to enter. (International Journal of Molecular Sciences)
• More Indoor Time: People gather inside more, increasing the chance of virus transmission. (Journal of Infection)
• Weakened Immune Response: Cold air can lower nasal tissue temperature, reducing the body’s defense against infections. (Healthline)

In short, it's not the cold itself but the environment and behaviors in winter that lead to more sickness

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/DDD7C065E1162CDB039C398F2F2C44DF/S0950268814002702a.pdf/humidity_and_respiratory_virus_transmission_in_tropical_and_temperate_settings.pd

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/scientists-finally-figure-out-why-youre-more-likely-to-get-sick-in-cold-weather?

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/11/9456?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Answer 5

It is a myth that cold weather itself makes you sick. Yes you can get sick from the cold but sick as in frostbite and/or hypothermia. Viruses tend to occur more in colder seasons as we are inside, which also the virus to spread. On UnityPoint Health it is actually said that the cold weather can actually help prevent you from getting sick.

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

Answer 6

Although most of us have grown up believing being out in the cold can make us sick, it's not the cold weather itself that makes us sick. It's still the viruses, germs, or infections themselves! According to the American Heart Association, viruses actually survive and reproduce more easily in the dry winter air. The dry air can also dry out your nasal passages and affect the cells in your immune system, allowing Rhinoviruses to replicate. In addition, most people choose to stay inside during the cold winter months. This keeps us in close proximity to one another, so it's much easier for viruses to spread from person to person. So although the cold weather doesn't directly make us sick, it increases the probability that we will.

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

Answer 7

The claim that "cold weather itself makes you sick" is a misconception. While sick season tends to be more present during the colder months, this does not mean it is caused by the weather itself. There is a rise in influenza and other infections in colder months. During the colder months, there is a lack of vitamin D and dry air, which can lead to decreased moisture in the mouth and nose, and more events are happening indoors during the cold months, which could have germs spread faster from person to person. Getting a cold during colder months does not relate to the temperature outside. I found another article talking about the related topic. This article claims that ""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, leaving you more at risk for illnesses like the common cold and/or the flu." This further talks bout what I was saying. The cold weather can create things that weaken your system but do not give you a sickness. 

Answer 8

As temperatures drop, people often spend more time indoors, bringing them closer together, which can help viruses spread more easily. Cold air also causes blood vessels in the nose, throat, and lungs to constrict, potentially weakening the immune system's response and making it easier for viruses to take hold. Additionally, some viruses, like rhinoviruses, thrive in colder temperatures, replicating more efficiently when temperatures dip below the body's core, making them more common during the winter months.

medicalnewstoday.com

health.harvard.edu

hopkinsmedicine.org

Answer 9

The common misconception that cold weather will make you sick as you described is exaggerated and misleading. Cold weather in the winter plays a large role in killing off disease carrying insects and preventing spread of disease. Cold weather is also an effective way to help the body burn brown fat which is harful fat that causes heart disease and high cholesterol. Many people seek out cold weather for the benefits and will swim in icewater during winter.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/out-in-the-cold

Answer 10

Cold weather won’t give you a cold, but it can make you more vulnerable to catching one. The real culprit? Spending more time indoors around other people who might already be sick. That’s why colds and other illnesses tend to spike in colder months. The Mayo Clinic has a great quick explainer on this.

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