Click here to subscribe today or Login.
It’s been so wonderful watching my daughter, Kate, and her husband, Andy, turn into Rowan’s parents. These two smart, energetic, terrific people have become devoted, compassionate, patient, loving guardians of this happy, inquisitive wunderkind. There are many ways that Kate seems to be channeling her own mom, Mary, her grandmother, my mom, Regina and I suspect moms back through time.
Her intuition about how to make Rowan safe and comfortable must be part of a deep-seated evolutionary ability. I remember distinctly when my mom felt cold, she’d make me put on a sweater. I guess we’ve all had a similar experience. Many a well-meaning grandmother has made her grandkids put on a hat and mittens before leaving the house on a cold winter’s day. She believed, as many do, that being exposed to frigid temperatures makes it more likely to catch a common cold. Frequently, old wives’ tales are based on the truth. But what about this one – is it fact or fiction?
It’s a fact.
Researchers at Yale University have proven that when the temperature gets colder, your first line of defense against the common cold weakens.
Rhinoviruses and your nose
Rhinoviruses are the germs that cause a cold. They are associated with other illnesses such as sore throats, ear infections, sinus infections and pneumonia.
“Rhino” means nose in Greek, which is appropriate because this is where the virus grows. Rhinoviruses survive and thrive at temperatures between 91 to 95 degree which is exactly what they find in your nose.
When the surrounding air is warm and the cells in your nose are at body temperature, your defense against the common cold is strong. A cell infected with the rhinovirus will send out a signal to the healthy cells around it. Those cells release an antiviral protein that destroys the rhinovirus and helps keep your body healthy.
How cold weather makes it worse
Yale researchers tested to see if lower temperatures had any effect on this normal immune response. They found that when temperatures dropped, our noses are not able to mount the same defense that they do at higher temperatures.
In cold weather, instead of fighting off the virus by releasing the same amount of antiviral protein, the healthy neighboring cells mounted a weak defense. The virus was therefore able to multiply and spread, creating a cold.
The cold temperature makes you more susceptible to germs and infections. This is one explanation for why cold weather does make the common cold more common during the winter.
Other ways cold air can make you sick
When the temperatures outside drop below freezing, it’s normal to take refuge inside your warm house. However, it may also be part of the problem during cold and flu season.
Central heating systems typically dry out the air inside your house, as well as your nasal passages. This can make it easier for cold and flu germs to cause an infection. Combining this hot dry air with poor ventilation and clustering people together, allowing infected individuals to cross-contaminate others, compounds the problem. This is why colds and the flu are so prevalent in community spaces and living areas, such as schools and dorm rooms.
Cold temperatures also make the coating around the flu virus tougher. This makes the virus more active and easier to transmit – and unfortunately, harder for your body to fight.
What you can do to fight off a cold
Washing your hands frequently during cold and flu season helps, as does avoiding touching your face and nose. Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough to avoid spreading germs.
If you do get a cold, there’s not a lot you can do other than wait, stay hydrated and rest. Contact your doctor for advice about over-the-counter medications that may help reduce symptoms and alleviate pain. The flu’s another story for another column.
Kate, did you find the white, cashmere cap I got for Rowan? There’s a nip in the air …
