Can a drastic change in weather make you sick? What experts say – National | 24CA News

As Canadians welcome the arrival of spring, they’re additionally experiencing a rollercoaster of climate of scorching warmth someday and icy chilly the following. Experts warn this could take a toll on our bodily well being.

It takes round two weeks to climatize to temperature modifications, so any sudden shift in climate circumstances could cause discomfort, in accordance with Louis Francescutti, an emergency doctor and professor on the School of Public Health on the University of Alberta.

“It’s an old wives’ tale that the weather makes you sick. It’s not that the weather makes you sick, it’s the conditions that the weather brings about that are going to make you ill,” he stated. “The body is finely tuned and likes to stay within a tight range of 37 C, and anything that changes that fine balance could predispose you to get sick.”

For instance, he stated a sudden drop in temperature could cause the air to turn out to be drier, which in flip weakens the mucosal lining in our respiratory tract and makes us extra prone to infections.

Viruses even have issue replicating at greater temperatures, Francescutti stated, so in colder climate, influenza is extra more likely to thrive and unfold. As a outcome, a sudden drop in temperature could enhance an individual’s susceptibility to catching a chilly or different respiratory an infection, he stated.

Changes in temperature may additionally trigger complications and joint ache, in accordance with a number of research.

1:47Peterborough residents having fun with the warmth

For instance, a 2015 examine discovered that climate circumstances reminiscent of temperature, humidity, and barometric strain have been considerably related to joint ache in older individuals with osteoarthritis. And a 2019 examine with over 13,000 participants, discovered that “higher relative humidity and wind speed, and lower atmospheric pressure, were associated with increased pain severity in people with long-term pain conditions.”

There are additionally research inspecting the connection between climate modifications and complications, Francescutti stated.

“We have different sinuses in our face, and if those sinuses expand or decrease in size, the pressure within them builds up, which can give us the sensation of headaches. Also, changes in blood flow, related to changes in temperature, can trigger headaches,” he stated.

The influence of temperature fluctuations on our well being can range relying on the route of the change, whether or not it goes from scorching to chilly or chilly to scorching, in accordance with Stephen Cheung, a professor of Kinesiology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont.

It is far more durable to adapt to a scorching atmosphere than a chilly one.

“Especially this time of the year, where we are sick of winter and suddenly it’s beautiful weather and we want to go out and do all sorts of things, but the body isn’t necessarily really adapted to it. And when it is sudden heat, you do have a lot more risk for sudden kind of issues with heat,” Cheung stated.

With the arrival of hotter climate, he defined individuals exert themselves greater than common, neglecting to use sunscreen, and struggling to adapt to the elevated bodily exercise ranges (reminiscent of going for lengthy bike rides).

Additionally, the physique is probably not accustomed to the solar, “so you’re not sweating as much and you’re not able to get rid of heat as well,” he defined. And a physique that isn’t tailored to the warmth could have much less blood quantity, so “your heart has to work harder to pump blood,” Cheung added, noting this in flip could cause coronary heart issues.

When the climate turns from scorching to chilly, Cheung stated there are fewer well being points at play.

“In terms of our bodies’ adaptation to the cold, most of it is more psychology in our perception, especially when we’ve suddenly you’ve been exposed to heat for a week and then that sudden transition to the cold,” he stated.

“It’s not as if your body’s physiology is changed, it’s more you’re not used to it.”

He added that inside per week the typical individual normally adjusts to the drop in temperature.

The wild swing in temperature has been felt throughout most provinces, Global News’ chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell, stated.

“There’s been a sharp return to colder and even wintery weather over the last few days across most of Canada,” he stated. “For the Prairies, this means a major snowstorm this week. For Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes it’s about a 20-degree swing in temperature and a return to a wet weather pattern after a week of sunshine and almost summer warmth.”

Although these temperature modifications are regular for April, the length of the nice and cozy climate stands out, Farnell stated, including that with local weather change Canada is more likely to see extra of those drastic modifications in climate.

To adapt to sudden temperature modifications, it’s really helpful to regularly expose your self over time, in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This will be accomplished by spending brief durations of time when it heats up or cools down very quick.

It’s additionally essential to remain hydrated and costume appropriately for the brand new temperature, the CDC said.

Additionally, getting sufficient sleep, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising may also assist the physique deal with temperature modifications, Francescutti stated.

1:51Extreme warmth warnings throughout Canada elevating medical dangers

“One of the most important things to remember when we talk about heat and its impact on health is that if you’re not healthy to start with, the consequences are going to be worse,” he stated.

He added that there are a whole lot of susceptible individuals, like seniors, who’re most liable to excessive temperature modifications, particularly throughout warmth waves. It’s essential for people in these high-risk teams to take further precautions throughout temperature fluctuations, reminiscent of staying hydrated and avoiding extended publicity to excessive temperatures, he added.