Does a cold draft make you sick?

Answer 1

If the question were, "Does cold weather cause you to get a cold or the flu?", then the answer would be: no, there is no scientific proof that it does. The studies so far have shown no cause:effect relationship between being wet or cold and having an infection by a common cold or flu virus.

There are connections made by some people through anecdotal evidence, since the viral cold and flu "season" is in the cold time of year. Cold weather isn't the reason more people can be sick with viruses then, though. The cold temperatures and flu/viral illnesses are merely concomitant. Those infections are coincidental to the lower temperatures, not a direct result of cold temperatures on the individual or their immune systems. It is not that the cold temperature will directly influence an increase in infection rates, it is just that they tend to be at the same time of year. (See the related questions for more information about why the flu has a season.)

There may be some indirect effect of cold weather keeping us indoors together more closely where we are more likely to spread viruses to each other. Also, the lowered amount of sunshine in the winter allows more viruses to be in the environment because there are fewer sun rays to "kill" them than in other times of year. When someone has a runny nose from a cold and then goes outside, the nose will usually produce more rhinorrhea (runny noses) allowing the spread of more viral infections, especially in children who are not as careful with hand washing and other preventive methods.

However, the question does not limit being "sick" to only infections, so the answer to this particular question is: yes, it can make you sick. Obviously, exposure to extreme weather conditions can make you sick and even kill you. But the cause of the sickness is the injury from exposure, not an infection by a germ.

Hypothermia can cause illness but just feeling chilly or even getting "goosebumps" or shivering from the cold weather is not hypothermia. When medical studies use that term, it is used to refer to a specific measurement of core body temperature. The term is not used just to mean that someone felt cold.

Hypothermia is not the same as being cold, it is a specific medical diagnosis and :

• It is defined as a core body temperature that is at or below 95 F (35 C). The normal human core body temperature is 98.6 F (37 C).

• Needs to be treated if core body temperature goes below 95 F (35 C).

• Affects motor coordination through impact to the nervous system at core body temperatures of 95 F (35 C).

• Becomes life threatening below core body temperatures of 90 F (32.2 C).

• When the core body temperature drops that low, at the start of a hypothermic condition, symptoms can include intense uncontrollable shaking and shivering, then if your body continues to get colder, the shivering stops when the core temperature gets between 90 F and 86 F.

• It causes heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure to rise during the first stages of hypothermia as your body tries to increase metabolism and warm itself, but these vital signs fall once the core temperature gets 90°F (32.2°C).

• Creates coma at below 86 F.

• Heart rate becomes very irregular below 82 F and death can soon follow.

To catch a common cold or influenza, you need to be exposed to the viruses that cause those Infectious Diseases. It won't matter if you get chilly or go out for a few minutes without a jacket. That is an old belief from before we knew about germs that was due, in part, to the fact that colds and flu happen more in the cold weather.

While respiratory infections are caused by viruses and/or bacteria, there is some evidence that cold weather could increase the odds of getting sick, some of the proposed explanations are:

• Dry air helps pathogens spread.
• Dry air can reduce the layer of mucus which serves as protection in the respiratory tract.
• Cold air can reduce the movement of cellular pili (used to move foreign bodies out) in the respiratory tract.
• Cold-induced reduction of blood flow in some parts of the body may weaken the immune response in those areas (the body tries to preserve heat in the brain and internal organs subtracting blood from the rest).

However there is no conclusive research on this yet. See more information in the related questions.

Answer 2

It has shown that warm and cold people have the same chance of getting sick when exposed to a virus. It doesn't matter if you are cold with wet hair or warm, a virus once in your nose, it has shown you have the same chance of getting sick.

Answer 3

No.... No... No....

Ancient myth.

Viruses can make you sick with a cold, drafts can make you uncomfortable.

Only Becoming cold to the point of hypothermia will lower body temperature enough to perhaps affect your immune system.

Answer 4

You can get sick from exposure to cold weather without shelter, but it won't be from an infection, it will be due to tissue damage, frostbite, etc. Colds and flu have long been thought to be caused by being cold and/or wet. This has been proven incorrect by numerous studies.

Being in the hot or cold weather can not put virus particles in your body. Viruses are what give you a cold or flu. Pneumonia is usually caused by a virus or bacteria. Being in the cold does not give you viruses or bacteria. It is purely coincidence, unless the cold makes you hypothermic which is not just shivering or feeling cold. Some studies have made a link between hypothermia and having a less effective immune system which would aid in viruses and bacteria making you sick. But hypothermia is entirely different than getting cold.

The truth is, the flu and the common cold are caused by viruses. Newest research indicates that people get sick more often with colds and flu in the winter because the absolute humidity is lower and cold and flu viruses like it dry.

There is probably some factor involved relating to being exposed closely to each other more in the winter than in the summer. When it is cold outside, people tend to stay inside and are more likely to spread germs to one another. Also, because school is in session, kids are around each other all day and are not afraid to share their germs. With so many people in such close contact, the likelihood of passing germs is much higher when it is cold outside than when it is warm and people are outdoors.

Being out in the cold for a long time without proper clothing and shelter can make you sick from injury to your tissues. But you can't catch a common cold from being cold, that is a long held and commonly spoken belief that has been disproved by science experimentation.

New research has shown both warm and cold people when exposed to a virus had the same chance of getting sick.

If the question were, "Does cold weather cause you to get a cold or the flu?", then the answer would be: no, there is no scientific proof that it does. The studies so far have shown no cause:effect relationship between being wet or cold and having an infection by a common cold or flu virus or pneumonia from viruses or bacteria.

There have been connections made by some people through anecdotal evidence, since the viral cold and flu "season" is in the cold time of year. Cold weather isn't the reason more people can be sick with viruses then, though. The cold temperatures and flu/viral illnesses are merely concomitant. Those infections are coincidental to the lower temperatures, not a direct result of cold temperatures on the individual or their immune systems. It is not that the cold temperature will directly influence an increase in infection rates, it is just that they tend to happen at the same time of year.

As mentioned above, there may be some indirect effect of the cold weather keeping us indoors more closely together where we are more likely to spread viruses to each other. Also, the lowered amount of sunshine in the winter allows more viruses to be in the environment because there are fewer sun rays (UV) to "kill" them than in other times of year. When someone has a runny nose from a cold and then goes outside, the nose will usually produce more rhinorrhea (runny nasal secretions) allowing the spread of more viral infections, especially in children who are not as careful with hand washing and other preventive methods.

However, the question does not limit being "sick" to only infections, so the answer to this particular question is: yes, it can make you sick. Obviously, exposure to extreme weather conditions can make you sick and even kill you. But the cause of the sickness is the injury from exposure, not an infection by a germ.

Just feeling chilly or even getting "goosebumps" or shivering from the cold weather is not hypothermia. When medical studies use that term, it is used to refer to a specific measurement of core body temperature. The term is not used just to mean that someone felt cold or got chilled.

Hypothermia is not the same as feeling cold, it is a specific medical diagnosis and :

• It is defined as a core body temperature that is at or below 95 F (35 C). The normal human core body temperature is 98.6 F (37 C).

• Needs to be treated if core body temperature goes below 95 F (35 C).

• Affects motor coordination through impact to the nervous system at core body temperatures of 95 F (35 C).

• Becomes life threatening below core body temperatures of 90 F (32.2 C).

• When the core body temperature drops that low, at the start of a hypothermic condition, symptoms can include intense uncontrollable shaking and shivering, then if your body continues to get colder, the shivering stops when the core temperature gets between 90 F and 86 F.

• It causes heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure to rise during the first stages of hypothermia as your body tries to increase metabolism and warm itself, but these vital signs fall once the core temperature gets 90°F (32.2°C).

• Creates coma at below 86 F.

• Heart rate becomes very irregular below 82 F and death can soon follow.

Contrary to grandma's concerns and myths, to catch a common cold you need to be exposed to the virus that causes it, it won't matter if you get chilly or go out for a few minutes without a jacket or with wet hair. Those are myths from long before science discovered microscopic organisms (as well as submicroscopic organisms in the case of viruses) that can make us sick.

Answer 5

No. Many illnesses such as the common cold and the flu are more common during cold weather because during those times people spend more time inside in close contact with other people, making it easier for infections to spread.

Answer 6

A cold draft can make you feel uncomfortable, but it does not directly cause illness. Illness is typically caused by exposure to viruses or bacteria. However, feeling cold for extended periods of time can weaken your immune system, potentially making you more susceptible to getting sick.

Answer 7

No and Yes. the hot / cold difference can lower your immunity and then you will get sick. You don't catch a cold by being cold but you get sick after being cold weakens your immunity.