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Staying Healthy
You don't say? Why does your nose run in cold weather?
- By Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
Having the sniffles in winter does not automatically mean you’re sick. It’s often a sign your nose is doing its job. The nose heats up and moisturizes air before it enters the lungs. Bones in the nose are covered with blood-filled membranes. These membranes sit behind the nasal cavities, and the blood flow keeps the space warm.
When you breathe cold air, the nose membranes secrete water and mucus. It’s like a mini steam bath with moisture dripping down the walls. The colder and dryer the air, the more water and mucus is produced, which leads to more sniffles and extra tissues.
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Any given year, we’ll collectively come down with one billion colds and up to 45 million cases of flu, while the number of new cases of COVID-19 keeps rising. In this guide, you will learn how to avoid getting any of these three viral infections, and, if you do get sick, what you can do to feel better. You’ll also learn when your condition is serious enough to call a doctor. The report also provides specific information about high-risk groups for whom COVID and the flu can be very serious.
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