Five steps to help you avoid the dreaded summer cold
Catching a cold can be a real summer bummer.
Getting sneezy and snotty amid sweltering heat and high humidity can make an unfortunate situation even worse.
“Cold viruses circulate year-round, so it’s possible to get sick during any season,” Cleveland Clinic primary care physician Dr. Matthew Badgett said in a statement.
With the warmer weather also comes a different set of viruses than the winter normal cold and flu season, people head and stay indoors.
Staying aware of risk factors can keep you feeling fresh and phlegm-free year-round. Here are five steps to avoid such a fate.
Stay hydrated
The summer can make staying hydrated a lot harder than it may be otherwise.
Thirst might not kick in until we’re already dehydrated, Sarah Adler, a performance dietitian with UCLA Health Sports Performance, warned.
Higher temperatures mean more sweat. When we sweat more, we need to increase or water intake to maintain our fluid levels.
“Approximately 60 percent of our body is made up of water,” she explained in a statement. “So we need to make sure we’re replenishing our losses, especially with increased sweating in the summer.”
Wash your hands on a summer trip – or bring hand sanitizer
Wanna get away? Nothing may beat a Jet2 holiday, but the risk of exposure to viruses and other sources of infection looms large during summer travel.
The percentage of Americans taking to the skies and streets is expected to be even higher this year, according to accounting firm Deloitte.
Experts say frequent hand washing at airports, in hotels, and really anywhere else can help protect you from the spread of disease – or from spreading disease. People can be infected by touching contaminated surfaces.
“Everybody was really good about carrying hand sanitizer with them and washing their hands through Covid,” Dr. Jill Foster, a professor at University of Minnesota Medical School, told AARP. “We should really try to up-regulate that again.”
Sleep well
Sleeping well can be a struggle during the summer season, when the nights are hotter and longer.
They’re also lighter, thanks to the Earth’s tilt and artificial light sources.
But, getting enough sleep is critical to protecting your immune health. Your immune system produces proteins known as cytokines when you sleep. They help you to sleep and you need more when you have an infection.
“Not getting enough sleep may lower how much of these protective cytokines are made,” Mayo Clinic said. “Also, levels of antibodies and cells that fight infections are lowered during times when you don’t get enough sleep.”
Hands off the face!
This is a good piece of advice for any time of the year. A cold is a cold.
You can spread germs and bacteria from surfaces to your nose and mouth by just touching your face.
Stay out of the AC, if possible
Amid record temperatures, air conditioning demand and use is higher than ever. Making sure your unit is well maintained can prove the difference between a sick summer and fun in the sun. But, try not to spend too much time in there.
“While air conditioning can be a real blessing in the summer heat, it can also create a cold, dry environment that viruses love. Your throat can suffer from the dry environment too,” West Tennessee Health cautioned.
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