"Put on a coat before going outsideor you're going to get sick!"Most of us remember hearing this warning as children. Unfortunately, moms all over were wrong about this one.
The truth is, what you wear when it's cold, has no bearing on whether you get a cold.
This winter we saw everything from 70-degree days in January to heavy rain and snow shortly after -and we wanted to know -do these big swings in temperature make us sick?
Is there a correlation between just the weather and getting sick?
"No. Not in general, says Dr. Steve Osborn of Doctor's Express in Roanoke. "To get sick you have to be exposed to either a virus or bacteria."
But ironically, the weather also plays an indirect role in spreading winter bugs.
"The main reason I think you see a lot more illness in the winter is partly just because of the weather. It keeps people inside so you have more exposure."
Osborn is talking about exposure to bacteria and viruses. WDBJ7 Chief Meteorologist Robin Reed, says weather does affect us more than we realize.
"Anytime you can go from a big snow the night before, and that puts you in a certain frame of mind to and then it's melting and 50 degrees the next day." "Our bodies seem to instinctively listen to those kinds of signals.
Doctors agree that while the weather may not be responsible for making your sick, it can sometimes change the way you feel.
"I do think for certain things like the barometric pressure can have an effect, possibly if you had old injuries or joint problems," Osborn told Your Hometown News Leader.
Experts say weather can also effect your mood but you can't blame it for that case of the sniffles.
What's the best advice to avoid the winter bug?
Doctors say to get plenty of rest, eat a balanced diet, and stay away from people who are sick.
