Weather of Arabia - Centuries ago, this idea prompted mothers to insist on putting children in hats and layers of clothes to protect them from the cold, insisting not to go out after bathing with wet hair, and keeping children away from cold air currents, but if this is a myth, why do colds and influenza arrive? To peak in the winter?
Many people associate cold weather with the common cold. While cold weather is not directly responsible for making people sick, viruses that cause colds may spread more easily in cooler temperatures, and exposure to cold, dry air may negatively affect the immune system. in the body .
With regard to infectious diseases, it is germs that cause disease, not the cold weather itself, so in order to get the flu or a common cold, you must be in contact with these viruses, as rhinoviruses usually spread through: direct contact from one person to another, or through inhalation of air that contains On tiny droplets, or aerosols loaded with virus, the virus then sticks to cells inside the nasal passages and begins to multiply and spread throughout the upper respiratory tract.
It is known that cold viruses reach their peak in spring and autumn, and influenza viruses reach their peak in winter, and although cold cannot be the only cause of disease, there is a relationship between cold and the spread of diseases, as cold air contributes to creating conditions in which lead to disease.
Some viruses spread more in cold weather, such as rhinoviruses that cause colds, which reproduce better at temperatures lower than the temperature of the human body, so that these degrees are usually found in the nose, as the temperature in the nasal cavity usually ranges between 33-35 degrees Celsius. , which is lower than the basic human body temperature, which is 37 degrees Celsius, which makes the nose a fertile environment for viruses to multiply.
Studies have also found that cells of the immune system initiate a stronger antiviral defense in the lung at a basic human body temperature, as opposed to a lower nasal cavity temperature. The probability of disease increases.
Other reasons that affect the immune response of the human body in cold weather are:
Cold weather may prompt most people to stay indoors where it is warm, but the air is drier, which makes it easier for cold and flu viruses to reach dry nasal passages, and lack of ventilation in winter increases the risk of disease spreading and transmission from person to person due to the presence of droplets Virus-laden sneezing in the air, researchers have found that good ventilation, as well as high indoor relative humidity, reduces the activity of the influenza virus.
Winter air outside can also be linked to the spread of influenza. Cool, dry air allows the influenza virus to survive and transmit itself. Research has found that the outer coating of the influenza virus becomes more durable in near-freezing temperatures, making it more active, more resilient, and easier to transmit in the off-season. Winter, in addition, the cold air outside reduces the ability of mucus and hairs in the nose to remove pathogens from the nose.
So, the transmission of viruses is responsible for catching colds and influenza, not cold weather. However, exposure to cold weather can increase a person’s risk of infection with the virus. These viruses may live and reproduce more effectively in cold temperatures, which makes it easier for them to spread and infect more people. People, cold weather also reduces the immune response and reduces the body's ability to fight off germs.
If you have a history of asthma or upper respiratory disease, cold weather may cause you some health complications, but you can still run outside after taking precautions. Warm up gradually before you start running outdoors, and wear a band over your mouth to help. Help warm the air entering your lungs, and plan your route to avoid possible asthma triggers, such as exposure to smoke.
It is good that there are several ways that people can take to avoid getting sick during the winter, and here are some of them:
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