Unless you have been living under a rock, you know the weather is starting to change. The stale humidity of the summer is coming to a close and the cool breezes of fall are starting to emerge. I, for one, am happy about this change. I don’t have to walk around campus dripping like a leaky faucet. Along with the change in weather, myths about the cold come pouring in. Is cold weather as bad as many perceive it to be?
One myth about cold weather is that you should blow on your fingers to keep your hands warm. This sounds like a good idea because your breath initially feels warm to your freezing fingers. In reality, the moisture (in exhaled air) may cause your skin to freeze or re-freeze. This increases the cold you already feel and may worsen your chances of getting frostbite. A better way to warm your hands involves putting them in your armpits or groin. Your body heat will slowly re-warm them. You may look questionable walking around campus with your hands in your groin, but it’s a small price to pay for much needed warmth.
Another popular myth is that drinking alcohol will help you stay warm. Actually, alcohol dilates your blood vessels. This then increases blood flow to the top of your skin and away from the core of your body (including your brain). The heat you crave will be radiated away from the body. So now you cannot use shielding yourself from cold weather as an excuse to drink excessive amounts of alcohol.
The biggest myth about cold weather involves the old saying “You better bundle up or you’ll catch a cold!” As a child, my family members would coerce me into wearing layers of shirts, sweats and big puffy coats in order to keep me from getting a cold. The truth is that it doesn’t matter how well you bundle up when it comes to catching a cold.
Bacteria and viruses are the ones that cause upper respiratory ailments, not the cold air. The air causes these illnesses to spread. Basically, colds are obtained by being close to someone (who happens to have a cold) that coughs or sneezes. Colds do not occur because you are cold.
As the cold weather approaches, you can do certain things to make this fall season more enjoyable. Buying a humidifier will moisturize the air, which may be dried by your dorm or apartment’s heater. This can help with eye irritation and chapped skin. Vaseline helps prevent wind-burned cheeks; putting a thin layer of Vaseline or petroleum jelly on your face will lock in moisture and stop a good number of the negative effects of cold weather. Wearing winter accessories such as scarves, hats, earmuffs and coats can also make your experience with cold weather easier.
In reality, cold weather is not that dangerous. In extreme cases you can develop hypothermia, but I’m sure you will not have to worry about that here in Raleigh. Myths about cold weather will live on for a long time, but do your part to be educated about the facts. As long as you know you can’t catch a cold from the cold you are on the right track.
