You may have noticed how unpredictable the weather has been recently. One minute it's hot, and the next it's pouring. Weather changes can have an impact on your health.
When the weather cools due to rain, the air becomes drier, making mucous membranes more vulnerable to viruses. It is easier for viruses to enter the body. In addition, colder temperatures weaken the immune system, increasing your risk of cold and flu infections. Is there a way to avoid getting sick as a result of these weather changes?
How to prevent sickness during weather changes
Staying healthy in the face of frequent weather changes is critical. Here are some steps that can help you avoid getting sick due to weather changes:
Wearing a mask
While the use of masks may have declined in some areas following the Covid-19 pandemic, it is still sensible to wear one. Especially if you're indoors with someone who is sick.
Wearing a mask can help you avoid other infectious diseases like the flu, colds, and other respiratory infections. Masks also help to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, allowing you to protect people who are at risk or have weakened immune systems from serious illness.
Keep the body warm
Keeping the body warm can help regulate the immune system. Wear appropriate clothing, such as jackets, hats, or scarves, to keep the body warm during cold weather or rainy days.
To stay hydrated, drink warm drinks like decaffeinated tea, water with lemon, or clear soups and broths.
Consume healthy and nutritionally balanced foods
Green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts and seeds, omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish, green tea, yogurt, and garlic can all help boost the immune system and keep you healthy during extreme weather changes.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is critical to maintaining a healthy immune system. During sleep, the body performs a variety of recovery functions that help to strengthen the immune system. Adequate sleep also helps to repair damage to cells and tissues caused by daily activities.
A lack of sleep can increase your body's stress levels, weakening your immune system. Getting enough sleep reduces stress and strengthens your body's ability to fight infections.
Exercise regularly
Exercise regularly has numerous health benefits, including improving the body's immune response to infection and disease. Exercise increases blood flow in the body, allowing immune cells to circulate to various parts of the body.
Regular exercise can help you sleep better, which is essential for a healthy immune system. Adequate and quality sleep helps to repair and strengthen your immune system.
Following these steps will help you and your family stay healthy during weather changes. If you have any complaints or symptoms of illness, consult with a doctor.
If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
Looking for more information about other diseases? Click here!
- Sean Edbert Lim, MBBS
Cleveland Clinic (2021). Can Weather Changes Make You Sick?. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-weather-change-make-you-sick
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Carley Millhone (2023). Does Getting Wet From Rain Make You Sick?. Available from: https://www.health.com/can-rain-make-you-sick-7504768
Taylyn Washington-Harmon (2023). 5 Benefits of Wearing a Mask (Besides COVID). Available from: https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/why-you-should-wear-a-mask
Elizabeth M. Ward, RD, MS (2023). Best (and Worst) Drinks When You Have a Cold. Available from: https://symptoms.webmd.com/cold-flu-map/how-to-stay-hydrated-when-youre-sick
Harvard Medical School (2024). How to boost your immune system. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
Kristi Wempen, RDN (2022). Fight off the flu with immune-boosting nutrients. Available from: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/fight-off-the-flu-with-nutrients
Eric Suni (2023). How Sleep Affects Immunity. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/how-sleep-affects-immunity
Sara Lindberg (2022). Does Exercise Boost Immunity?. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-exercise-boost-immune-system
