Is the cold weather making you sick? For centuries, grandmothers have insisted that children sit away from draughts, wear a hat in cold weather, and avoid going outside with wet hair.

But, if this is a myth, why do colds and flu seasonally peak? The answers are intricate and fascinating.

In terms of infectious diseases, germs, not cold weather, cause illness. To catch a cold, you must come into contact with rhinoviruses. To catch the flu, you must be infected with influenza viruses.

Rhinoviruses are most prevalent in the spring and fall, while influenza viruses are most prevalent in the winter.

While the cold cannot be the sole cause of illness, there is a link between being chilled and becoming ill: cold air may make a significant contribution to conditions that lead to illness.

The wintertime and summertime heat index aren’t equivalent. In winters it is wind chill, and both measure dangerously high and low temperatures. On a humid day, scorching temperatures might feel considerably hotter than they are because the air is humid and inhibits the body's natural cooling process of evaporation. It would seem that cold temperatures on a humid day should also feel warmer since increased humidity causes our bodies to evaporate less water, which results in less cooling. At the same temperature, cold, dry air will typically feel warmer than cold, humid air. 

The simple reason for this is related to the clothing we wear. In cold, humid air at the same temperature, a person without clothing may feel slightly warmer than in cold, dry air. The insulation provided by the clothing we wear to stay warm decreases as the humidity in cold air rises. Heat loss via clothing may be sped up by moisture in the fibers and the wicking function of the clothing. Even though the garment might not appear to be damp, the air's humidity may leave a tiny film of moisture on its fibers, which would increase the amount of heat that can be transferred through it.

On the other side, many drugs, including beta blockers and diuretics, might make it more difficult to regulate body temperature, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist about this potential side effect before spending a lot of time outside in the sun.

Moreover, the idea that heat exhaustion and heat stroke become serious when the kidneys stop producing urine is a widely held one. It can be fatal to wait for something to occur. Instead, keep an eye out for the early warning signals, which include excessive thirst, excessive fatigue, confusion, lack of appetite, and headaches.

However, the skin's moisture evaporates when you sweat in dry heat, which helps the body cool down. It collects on the skin and adds to the sticky sensation in humid weather. So, if you perspire a lot in dry air, you are still losing a lot of fluid and need to replace it right away. 

During a heat wave, fans alone usually won't be enough to provide cool air, especially for elderly people and young children whose thermo-regulation systems don't function as well in high temperatures. They require particular care, and it is safest for them to stay in an air-conditioned facility and keep themselves well-hydrated.