6 reasons why you’re getting a cold in autumn

Keep reading to find out why so many of us start to feel under the weather at the tail end of summer, and why getting sick and catching a cold in autumn is so common.

1. The children are back at school

The return to school just so happens to coincide with the weather taking a turn for the worse, meaning more time spent indoors with poor ventilation which is a perfect breeding ground for viruses.

When it comes to behaviour, unlike adults, children (especially those of primary school age) spend a lot of time in close contact with each other, touching, grabbing, and playing in the playground. They’re also less likely to understand the importance of hand washing, maintaining distance from others, and personal hygiene, all of which are crucial for slowing the transmission of viruses and infections.

Parents should encourage children to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue (or their elbow) when they sneeze or cough to stop germs from spreading. It’s also helpful to avoid sharing drinks, food, or personal items like towels or tissues with classmates. Finally, encourage them to listen to their body and to let an adult know if they're feeling unwell.

2. You’re staying indoors more

Close contact doesn’t just mean touching one another.

In the summer, we spend more time outside and less time at home touching door handles, television remotes, glasses, cutlery, and so on. In the winter, the opposite is true. We spend more time indoors with the windows shut, breathing unfiltered, dry air that’s more likely to make us sick.

While you can’t control the weather, there are a few things you can do at home to help reduce your chance of catching a cold when the weather starts to change:

• Adapt spring cleaning for autumn and disinfect your house or flat to remove dust and germs
• Keep a few windows open to promote ventilation and to help clear out any potentially harmful particles lingering in the air
• Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water to prevent your sinuses drying out
• Wash your hands regularly to prevent the spread of any viruses
• Make sure you’re eating enough fruit and vegetables to help boost your immune system

3. You’ve got ‘freshers’ flu

For hundreds of thousands of students up and down the country, September marks the end of summer and a return to university.

Whether you’re a first year or a seasoned student, the sudden exposure to large crowds in packed nightclubs and student halls inevitably means you’re more likely to pick up a cold or the flu. Add in late nights, weakened immunity (which is increased when we’re routinely intoxicated), poor diet, and the chance of you picking something up continues to skyrocket.

The reality is that while it’s called ‘freshers flu’, it’s typically closer to a common cold and is rarely as severe as influenza. However, the combination of symptoms can make it feel like a bad bout of the flu, especially if you're trying to adjust to university life.

The best way to stay on the wrong side of this nasty September bug is to make sure you’re looking after yourself outside of the partying and socialising that goes on during the first few weeks of term. Do your best to eat a balanced diet, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and wash your hands as much as possible when you’re out and about.

4. You’re breathing in more ‘dry air’

In autumn and winter, the air we breathe is ‘dryer’ because it holds less humidity than in the summer. The air is dried out further by the heating systems and heater we use to warm ourselves up when the temperature starts to drop in autumn.

Breathing in too much ‘dry air’ can result in colds and infections because our nasal passage isn’t as lubricated in colder climates. In autumn and winter, this passageway can lack the mucus lining needed to trap viruses before they move up into your sinuses to cause an infection. This can also cause tiny cracks in the nasal lining, providing an entry point for bacteria and viruses.

To counteract the effects of dry air from heaters, it’s important we stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, as this helps keep the mucus membranes stay moist. You can also use a humidifier in your home to add moisture back into the air. Additionally, applying a saline nasal spray can help maintain and protect the mucus layer in your nasal passages, reducing the risk of infections during the colder months.

5. You’re stressed that summer is over

Finally (and perhaps most sadly), autumn marks the transition away from long summer days into darker and colder nights that can worsen anxiety, stress levels, and depression in some people.

The link between our mental wellbeing and our physical health is well explored, with studies demonstrating how we’re more vulnerable to infections and viruses when we’re not feeling right mentally.

When we feel stressed, anxious, or under pressure, our stress response system (that releases cortisol and adrenaline) gets activated. Over time, this stress can suppress our immune function, meaning our body has a harder time fighting off infections like the common cold or flu.

Factor in a few of the wholesale changes to our routine, diet, and sleep schedule that we’ve mentioned above, and autumn quickly becomes the perfect time of year to pick up a cold or illness.

6. You’ve changed your diet

We tend to eat more fresh fruit and vegetable-rich salads in summer when the produce required to make them is readily available in the UK. As winter approaches, we often move away from these fresher, nutrient-dense options, turning instead to heartier, less perishable foods.

This seasonal shift in our diet can lead to a decrease in the intake of essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and antioxidants, which play a crucial role in supporting our immune system and helping the body fight off infections like the common cold and flu. When we eat less fresh produce, our bodies may miss out on the variety of nutrients that keep our immune system strong.

Seasonal foods in autumn and winter, such as root vegetables, tend to be lower in vitamin content compared to fresh summer fruits and leafy greens. Additionally, as the weather gets colder, we typically start to eat more comfort or convenience foods, which are often higher in sugars and fats but lacking in the vitamins and fibre that our body needs to maintain optimal health.

Last updated Thursday 19 September 2024

First published on Thursday 19 September 2024