Shorter days, fluctuating temperatures, lots of pollen and dust… make the romantic fall season easy to make you sick.
Winter is a season to worry about your immune system, but it’s actually the alluring fall foliage that brings illness. Here are some reasons why romantic fall could be making you sick:
Time study
Crowded classrooms can spread germs quickly, affecting you even if you are no longer of school age or do not have children. “Public spaces such as schools and offices are breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory diseases,” said Dr. Kevin R. Campbell, University of North Carolina (USA).
Parents often pick up germs and viruses from their school-age children and can carry these germs to work or to gatherings with friends. The solution? Wash your hands frequently, especially after playing with your children.
Work slows down from June to August, when people take vacations and have fun. So fall often means getting back to a regular schedule and catching up on work that was lost over the summer. A busier schedule often comes with less sleep. “There’s evidence that when we sleep less than our bodies need, our immune systems aren’t as strong at fighting off illness as they would be if we slept enough,” says Dr. Campbell. Give your body the rest it needs to recover.
There are new allergens in the air.
Spring isn’t the only time you’ll have to deal with a persistent runny nose. There are different types of pollen and dust in the air as the seasons change. The worst culprits in the fall are ragweed and mold. So, again, be sure to wash your hands frequently to avoid allergens from coming into contact with your skin.
The days are getting shorter
Have you noticed that you’re leaving work in the dark these days? Actually, that’s not a good thing. “Our moods are largely influenced by the amount of sunlight we get each day. Seasonal mood disorders tend to flare up in the winter months, but the change in schedules that comes with the changing seasons in the fall can also bring them on,” says Dr. Campbell.
If you think this might be your problem, see your doctor and ask for effective treatment options such as psychotherapy, medication, or even ultraviolet light therapy.
Sudden change in temperature
It’s hard to decide what to wear to work when the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius in the morning and 30 degrees Celsius or more at noon. The temperature won’t make you sick, but some conditions can be made worse by sudden cold. Cold weather, for example, can trigger asthma and make respiratory problems worse. So remember to wear layers these days, even with air conditioning, so you can easily remove layers when you’re hot and add layers when you’re cold.
(according to vnexpress)
