BrainStuff Classics: Will Temperature Changes Make You Sick?

When the temperature drops (or bounces), are you more likely to get sick? Learn the science behind the old wives’ tale in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cold-flu/can-change-in-temperature-really-make-sick.htm

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeartRadio. Hi brain Stuff.
I'm Lauren Vogelbomb, and today's episode is a classic from
the vault. This one is timely here in our headquarters
in Atlanta, anyway, because the temperature has been bouncing from
near freezing to downright summary, and certainly we have a

(00:22):
few colds going around. But is it the actual changes
in temperature that make people sick? Hey, brain Stuff, Lauren
vogel Bomb. Here, raise your hand. If a parent, grandparent,
or an older, wiser caretaker of any kind has scolded
you for not bundling up when the temperatures drop, if
you are waving your arm frantically, you're far from alone.

(00:44):
Across cultures and geographical boundaries, there seems to be a
long held, pervasive belief that sudden meteorological changes automatically trigger
colds and flus. But does the theory really pan out? Well,
yes and no. According to health experts, weather driven sickness
is a thing, but the temperature itself is more of
an indirect cause of the resulting illness. In other words,

(01:07):
it's not the cold itself that makes you sick, but
the environmental factors related to it. A two thousand and
two meta analysis found that exposing your skin to chili
temperatures doesn't automatically make you more susceptible to the common cold.
What does likely set you up for sickness is the
drop in humidity. Associated with that sudden drop in temperature,
the mucous membranes in your eyes, nose, and lungs all

(01:29):
dry out. Those mucous membranes are your first gooiest line
of defense against bacteria and viruses, so losing the goo
makes you more susceptible to sickness, and because viruses are
more likely to survive and replicate in cold than in heat,
you're more likely to get sick when the weather turns frigid.
In a twenty ten study, Columbia Universities Jeffrey Shaman and

(01:50):
his colleagues compared thirty years worth of climate records to
health records. They determined that flu epidemics almost always followed
a drop in air humidity. Their evidence reviewed in a
twenty fifteen study and replicate it again in a two
thousand and nine analysis of the swine flu pandemic. The
research paints a pretty compelling picture of why and how
dry air fosters this kind of cold and flu free

(02:13):
for all. When there's moisture in the air, the particles
we release from our noses and mouths when we cough
and sneeze stay large, but in dry air they break
into tiny pieces that can stay suspended in the environment
for hours or even days, creating a virus filled cloud
for us to inhale. Furthermore, when it starts getting cold
or more likely to stay indoors for more of the time,

(02:35):
exposing ourselves to that virus soup. One easy trick to
lowering your risk for illness during the colder months is
to run an air humidifier. A twenty thirteen study found
that doing so for just an hour a day could
kill thirty percent of the airborne viruses in schools. But
like everything else in life, balance appears to be key,
since some pathogens like mold actually thrive in human environments,

(02:59):
and of course, relying on good old standbys like vaccines
and hand washing is always a good idea to reduce
your risk, whether you bundle up in cold weather or not.
Today's episode is based on the article can the change
in temperature really make you sick? On HowStuffWorks dot Com,

(03:19):
written by Michelle constantinofsky. Brainstuff is a production of iHeartRadio
in partnership with hostuffworks dot Com and is produced by
Tyler Klang. Four more podcasts from iHeartRadio. Visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.