The nights get darker, the weather gets colder, clothes get thicker… and people get sicker. So why are we catching cold after cold between the months of December and March?

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the cold weather that makes us ill  during winter but how we react to it… We all run inside and crank the heating up – no air circulation, close contact with other people, the perfect breeding ground for germs. And more germs mean more illnesses.

Another reason we might be getting more colds in winter is down to a new recent study that suggests the outer shell of flu viruses are stronger in cold temperatures making them last longer and spread wider. Research also suggests that the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, replicates more easily in colder temperatures…

Very recent studies have also proven that the immune system is strengthened by Vitamin D which we get from the sun – and where is the sun during winter? Either behind a cloud or rising and setting at ridiculous times in the day. Obviously during summer, our bodies are absorbing much more of the vitamin.

So our chances of getting colds during winter are almost entirely out of our control and is something we just have to suffer with. But keeping your hands washed and getting outside as much as you can can help decrease those chances… Although its a good idea to invest in a few boxes of tissues.


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