Runny nose, red skin… here are the effects of cold on your body

Cold – severe cold and runny nose. Temperatures in France this week reached -10 degrees Celsius, not seen in six years. So much so that severe cold was planned in many regions. On the health side, the drastic drop in temperature has many consequences on our body, As you can see in the video at the top of the article. red and dry skin or chapped lips, HuffPost Takes stock of the effects of cold on our body.

Take a warm breath

If you have a runny nose, it is not necessarily a cold. One of your body’s first reactions when it’s cold is the “runny nose” effect. As David King, a lecturer at the University of Queensland (Australia), explains, cold, dry air entering the nostrils stimulates the nasal nerves. It then sends a message to your brain to alert you that it’s really cold. Your brain responds by increasing blood flow through your nose, which helps warm the air entering your lungs.

By doing so, it also humidifies the air entering your body. This phenomenon, which can be described “Cold Induced Rhinitis” (and which skiers know well) affects certain individuals more.

Dry, painful skin

Dr. of the British Association of Dermatologists. Cold, windy weather can dehydrate the skin, making it dry, chapped and prone to breakouts, says Bav Shergill. “Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can worsen during the winter months as temperature changes and dry air cause inflammatory flare-ups.”He adds.

To avoid this, experts advise drinking water and moisturizing, especially in areas where the skin is thinnest, such as the lips, face and hands.

Beware of hypothermia

It is often said that a cold makes you lose weight… it is true, even if it is minimal. To keep warm, the body needs energy. Therefore, more calories will be burned during physical activity if it is cold outside.

However, be careful to limit physical exertion and time spent outside when it is very cold. Prolonged exposure to negative temperatures can cause your body temperature to drop. Normally, it is around 37 degrees. Due to cold it can go below 35 degrees. Then we talk about “hypothermia” which can be more or less severe depending on the temperature drop.

Stroke, heart attack: more serious risks

So the body has to work hard to maintain the optimum temperature during extreme cold. ” This makes the heart beat faster, increases its oxygen consumption and constricts the blood vessels, promoting blood clotting. », we can read on the website of the French Federation of Cardiology. These symptoms can lead to cardiovascular accidents and heart attacks.

Don’t panic, there is no danger if you don’t expose yourself to cold for long and you cover up well outside. Other advice on limiting the effects of cold on our bodies is available on the Ministry of Health website.

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