YOKUU BLOG

Mythbusters: does cold weather make you catch a cold?

We hear it every winter: “Zip up your coat, or you’ll catch a cold!” It sounds logical, but is it actually true? 

At YOKUU, we love busting myths about microbes - there sure are a lot of them, including this one. Many people think that cold weather makes you sick, but surprisingly, this is a myth. Colds are caused by viruses, not by temperature. However, the cold does influence how viruses spread and how our bodies respond.

Why Do We Think Cold Causes Colds?

The idea that cold makes you sick likely comes from our behavior in winter. When it gets cold outside, we spend more time in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, often close to others. Viruses spread easily in these environments. So, it’s not the low temperatures but rather how we react to the cold that increases the chance of catching a cold.

What Happens in Our Body?

Cold air has subtle effects on our body. Cold might make our mucous membranes more vulnerable to viruses, making infection easier. But without a virus, you still won’t catch a cold – cold alone is not enough to make you sick.

How to Prevent a Winter Cold?

Although cold itself doesn’t cause a cold, you can help boost your resistance during winter by taking a few simple steps:

  • Keep washing your hands: Viruses often spread through hands that come into contact with contaminated surfaces. Regular handwashing can make a big difference.
  • Ventilate your space: Even in winter, fresh air is important to reduce virus concentration in enclosed spaces.
  • Stay hydrated and keep mucous membranes moist: By drinking well and possibly using a humidifier, your airways stay better protected.

Myth BUSTED!

So, cold weather doesn’t make you catch a cold – viruses do. Winter conditions, however, make it easier for viruses to spread, especially when we’re close together in poorly ventilated spaces. So feel free to wear a warm coat for comfort, but you can’t blame the cold if you end up with a runny nose. Do you have another myth you’d like us to bust? Let us know!"

Discover more

  • Do our bacteria turn into cannibals when you're away for two weeks?

    Do our bacteria turn into cannibals when you're...

    You lock the door and leave for two weeks. The bacteria you leave behind carry on living their lives, and those lives are a lot more dramatic than you'd expect.

    Do our bacteria turn into cannibals when you're...

    You lock the door and leave for two weeks. The bacteria you leave behind carry on living their lives, and those lives are a lot more dramatic than you'd expect.

  • Why you sneeze more in spring... and why cleaning with chemicals barely helps

    Why you sneeze more in spring... and why cleani...

    You vacuumed. You washed the sheets. You took your allergy pill. And you're STILL waking up with a stuffed nose and itchy eyes! Here's the thing: most of those things...

    Why you sneeze more in spring... and why cleani...

    You vacuumed. You washed the sheets. You took your allergy pill. And you're STILL waking up with a stuffed nose and itchy eyes! Here's the thing: most of those things...

  • The YOKUU Manifesto

    The YOKUU Manifesto

    We believe modern society has got it wrong. Somewhere along the way, we started scrubbing, spraying and sterilizing the life out of our homes. We declared the war on bacteria,...

    The YOKUU Manifesto

    We believe modern society has got it wrong. Somewhere along the way, we started scrubbing, spraying and sterilizing the life out of our homes. We declared the war on bacteria,...

1 3