Do you get sick more easily in the cold? Virus thrives in low temperatures.

Can the cold make you sick more quickly? It sometimes seems that way: some people immediately develop a sore throat and a nasty cold as soon as the thermometer drops. But is that true? Can you get sick more easily from the cold? Metro investigated.

Grandmothers have been warning for generations: "Put on your coat, or you'll catch a cold!" But what does science say?

Cold itself doesn't cause the flu or a cold: you always need a virus for that. However, cold can create conditions where viruses have a better chance of making people sick.

It works like this. The blood vessels in your nose and throat constrict when it's cold, resulting in fewer immune cells. This weakens local defenses somewhat. Virologists explain at Kennislink that this mechanism partly explains why people seem more susceptible to colds in winter.

Researchers at Yale University previously showed that rhinovirus, the main cause of the common cold, multiplies faster at lower temperatures in the nasal cavity than at core body temperature. The nasal mucosa also normally produces small vesicles that trap viruses, but fewer are produced in cold weather.

In winter, behavior plays an equally important role. We spend more time indoors, often in less well-ventilated spaces. This makes it easier for viruses like influenza, coronavirus, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) to spread. The RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) shows in current figures that the number of respiratory infections in the Netherlands rises significantly during the colder months.

Cold is also a form of stress for the body. Prolonged exposure releases stress hormones that temporarily suppress parts of the immune system. The effect is usually mild and depends on the temperature and the duration of the exposure.

Paradoxically, Dutch research shows that regular, short bursts of cold can actually have a positive effect. In the COOLBAT project (LUMC), participants took a short cold shower daily for a month. They reported sick 29 percent less often than the control group. The research shows that controlled exposure to cold can train your immune system.

One caveat is that more evidence is needed to definitively establish this. The results also align with an earlier article Metro published about the beneficial effects of a dip in cold water .

For people with lung diseases such as asthma or COPD, cold and humid air can worsen symptoms. The Dutch Lung Foundation therefore advises extra caution in cold weather. Cold air can irritate the airways, worsening symptoms such as shortness of breath or coughing.

The impact of cold and viruses on our health is significant. According to European estimates, seasonal influenza leads to tens of thousands of deaths annually, particularly among the elderly and vulnerable. In the EU alone, the number of flu-related deaths per year is between 16,000 and 39,000. In the Netherlands, too, absenteeism peaks during the winter months.

The cold itself doesn't make you sick, but it can create conditions where viruses have a greater chance of spreading. A combination of reduced local immunity in the nose, the fact that viruses thrive at lower temperatures, and the fact that we spend more time indoors all contribute to a higher risk of infection. A cold is incredibly unpleasant, but fortunately, there are ways to get rid of it quickly .