{"id":19723,"date":"2020-02-21T00:10:43","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T00:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=19723"},"modified":"2020-02-22T03:07:06","modified_gmt":"2020-02-22T03:07:06","slug":"do-i-have-to-wear-a-jacket-when-its-cold-outside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/do-i-have-to-wear-a-jacket-when-its-cold-outside\/","title":{"rendered":"Do I have to wear a jacket when it’s cold outside?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carolyn Kaloostian<\/a>, University of Southern California<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Curious Kids<\/a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you\u2019d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Will I get sick if I go out in the cold without a jacket? \u2013 Ben P., age 4, South Orange, New Jersey<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The answer to this question is: \u201cIt depends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cold weather does not get you sick. Feeling chilly because you\u2019re not bundled up does not get you sick.<\/p>\n

But being cold \u2013 like when you\u2019re outside in wintry weather wearing just a thin shirt \u2013 can actually weaken your body and make it easier for you to get sick. Researchers have shown that cold temperatures weaken your immune system<\/a> and thus your ability to fight off infections. In fact, the longer time you spend in the cold, the higher your risk of actually getting sick.<\/p>\n

To get sick, though, you still must be exposed to a germ. So it\u2019s key to avoid coming into contact with germs as well. Unfortunately, that\u2019s easier said then done.<\/p>\n

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Microscopic bacteria and viruses are all around, ready to invade your body\u2019s cells and make you sick.<\/span>
\nKateryna Kon\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are over 200 viruses that can cause a cold<\/a>. These viruses are all around us. In the wintertime, people often stay indoors and are closer together in general, which encourages the spread of viruses.<\/p>\n

One called rhinovirus is responsible for around a third of the cases of runny noses and congestion<\/a>, but can also cause more serious lung diseases. There\u2019s another group of germs, called human coronaviruses<\/a>, that can make you sick. The new virus named 2019-nCoV<\/a> is one of these.<\/p>\n

The cold, dry weather<\/a> does play a role in winter sniffles<\/a>, because it can strengthen these virus invaders. For example, viruses survive longer and multiply faster in the cooler regions of your nasal passages<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cooler temperatures also tend to weaken your body\u2019s antiviral immune responses<\/a>. In fact, a fever helps your body warm up and invigorates your immune system cells to fight infection.<\/p>\n

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An uncovered sneeze blasts germs into the air for other people to breathe in.<\/span>
\nCDC\/Brian Judd<\/a>, CC BY<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Viruses live in the environment all around you. They\u2019re on surfaces such as doorknobs. They\u2019re in the air after someone sneezes. The most common way to expose yourself to these germs is by inhaling virus-filled air or touching your eyes or nose with dirty hands.<\/p>\n

The best way to avoid catching a cold<\/a> is to wash your hands as often as possible, avoid anyone who is clearly sick and keep your immune system strong. Tips for boosting your body\u2019s immune power include eating a well-balanced diet, having a healthy sleep routine, balancing stress with enjoyable activities and keeping warm to minimize susceptibility to infection. Don\u2019t forget vaccines are available to help keep you from getting sick with certain viruses, including influenza<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you do catch a cold, it is best to rest, drink plenty of water and contact your doctor for any worsening symptoms. And if you go outside in the cold, be sure to bundle up and try to stay warm.<\/p>\n

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Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you\u2019d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com<\/a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.<\/em><\/p>\n

And since curiosity has no age limit \u2013 adults, let us know what you\u2019re wondering, too. We won\u2019t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.<\/em>\"The<\/p>\n

Carolyn Kaloostian<\/a>, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, University of Southern California<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Carolyn Kaloostian, University of Southern California Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you\u2019d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Will I get sick if I go out in the cold without a jacket? \u2013 Ben P., age 4, South Orange, New Jersey The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":19724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3410],"tags":[5789,5521,7696,6689,7698,1072,3902,2197,7697,7699,7410,1190,4073],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19723"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19723"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19723\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19727,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19723\/revisions\/19727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19724"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}