All your life, Mom said that going outside without a jacket will result in you getting a cold. Well, new research shows that she wasn’t too far off. A study from Yale University published December 2015 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the common cold thrives in our noses when it’s colder — explaining once and for all why it’s almost impossible to get through an entire winter without at least one cold.
Rhinoviruses, one of the main types of viruses that give us a sneezy, runny nose, are able to replicate better in cooler temperatures, the study found. This is due, partially, to the fact that our antiviral immune response is diminished when the nose’s temperature is colder than normal. When you’re spending a ton of time out in the cold, your nose becomes a pretty cozy place for a cold to live and thrive.
Since your nose isn’t exactly the easiest body part to cover when you go outside (ski mask, anyone?), try getting in the habit of wrapping your scarf around the bottom of your face, at least when you’re going to be outdoors for a long time. But until they come out with a fashionable little hat just for the schnoz, we’re probably going to continue having cold noses and actual colds — so get those tissues ready.
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