Philadelphia Weather Change and Your Health

If you live in the greater Philadelphia area, you must have noticed the bi-polar weather we've been having. One day it's 80 degrees and the next it's hitting as low as the high 40's. It seems as though this is also the time of year everyone is getting sick… are these two facts related?

There is a myth that you can catch a cold simply from the cold weather, but in truth, that myth has been busted long ago. You can't contract a virus or bacterial infection as a result of the cold weather alone, though it could affect other factors that could cause you to get sick.

Cold weather can temporarily weaken the immune system, so while you will not be surrounded by any more or less bacteria or viruses, you may be more susceptible to them for a few weeks. In the same vein, if you're prone to stay indoors due to the cold (or all this rainy weather we've been having), you'll be in close quarters with other people for longer amounts of time, and there is always the potential that those people are spreading germs.

There isn't stability in the near future; the weather is expected to do a bit more rising and falling before settling into lower temperatures for good, and the rain will be coming and going as it pleases as well. Make sure if you live near Philadelphia to call your heating and air conditioning expert to get your unit in tip-top condition, because you're going to be spending a lot of time indoors in the weeks (well, maybe months) to come.

We have a cold winter ahead of us, and if the cold affects immune systems like it is said to, then Philly needs to be keeping warm! Bundle up and stay healthy this coming season.