“You can catch a cold from being exposed to cold weather.”

It's a common refrain heard from well-meaning parents and grandparents: "Bundle up, or you'll catch a cold!" This long-held belief suggests that exposure to chilly temperatures directly leads to sniffles and sneezes. The myth likely stems from the observable fact that colds are indeed more prevalent during colder months. For generations, people have naturally connected the seasonal increase in illness with the drop in temperature, leading to the assumption that one causes the other.

However, scientific evidence clearly busts this myth. Colds are caused by viruses, not cold weather itself. Over 200 different viruses can cause the common cold, with rhinoviruses being the most frequent culprit. You can only catch a cold if you come into contact with one of these viruses, typically through airborne droplets from a cough or sneeze, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then your face. The idea that cold weather alone makes you sick is incorrect; a virus must be present for you to become infected.

While cold weather doesn't directly cause a cold, it does create conditions that make it easier for cold viruses to spread and for our bodies to be more susceptible. During colder months, people tend to spend more time indoors in closer proximity, increasing the chances of viral transmission. Additionally, cold and dry air can impact the immune system's effectiveness in the nasal passages, making it harder to fight off viruses. Some research also suggests that certain cold and flu viruses can survive and replicate more efficiently in cooler, drier conditions. So, while your grandmother's advice to stay warm might not prevent a cold directly, it does address factors that indirectly contribute to their spread.