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3 Ways Cold Weather Affects Your Body

By Modupeoluwa Adekanye

23 December 2019   |   3:15 pm

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Many people prefer cold weather to heat period. Cold they feel can be controlled but the heat period has a way it affects people terribly. However, there are also some ways the cold weather also affects your health and below are some according to HuffPost: Runny nose A permanently runny nose with no other symptoms…

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Many people prefer cold weather to heat period. Cold they feel can be controlled but the heat period has a way it affects people terribly. However, there are also some ways the cold weather also affects your health and below are some according to HuffPost:

Runny nose
A permanently runny nose with no other symptoms of a cold might be due to the weather. The nose actually has a mechanism to warm the air you breathe during winter and it involves lots of mucus.

When cold, dry air enters your nostrils it stimulates the nerves in your nose, according to David King, a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland.

These nerves send a message to your brain letting it know that it’s really quite nippy outside and your brain then responds by increasing blood flow to your nose, which helps warm the passing air on its way to your lungs.

It also makes your nose more moist, or snotty to increase the humidity of the air entering your body. The phenomenon is also known as “cold-induced rhinitis” or “skier nose”, and some people are more sensitive than others.

Bad Back
Science suggests the cold weather can impact pain levels but it’s not entirely clear why. One Swedish study by Burström L, Järvholm B, Nilsson T, Wahlström J looked into whether working in a cold environment increased the risk of musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and lower back. It revealed that neck and low back pain was higher among construction workers who worked outdoors in the cold than among foremen and office workers.

Dry Skin
According to Dr. Bav Shergill, of the British Association of Dermatologists, cold and windy weather can strip skin of moisture leading it to become dry, chapped and prone to flaking. “Dry skin is a common problem in the cold weather which can affect anybody. However, certain skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can be worsened during the winter months as the changing temperatures and dry air causes flare-ups.”

Therefore, areas of the body which are often exposed to the elements are most vulnerable to the negative impacts of winter weather. This includes the face and hands, as well as the lips, where the skin is thinner than on other parts of the body.

To avoid this, moisturise your skin and lips regularly, reapplying throughout the day as necessary.