How cold weather can impact your body

WINTER is here, and many Brits might have noticed the chill in the air as temperatures plummeted this week.

While feeling cold is one sign that the cold weather has an effect on your body, experts point out other more serious effects.

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The Met Office has issued an advisory for parts of the UK in preparation for Storm Arwen, which is expected to make its way towards our shores.

Starting Sunday, snow is expected to fall in Scotland. The icy weather will continue to move down the country for the next few days.

London and southern England will be seeing snow Tuesday, meaning that the whole UK should see some snow by next week’s middle.

According to the Met Office shots of Arctic air are expected to arrive on our shores by this week. “meaning much colder and wetter weather”.

According to the NHS, cold weather can worsen some health issues, particularly if you are over 65 or have an existing health condition.

Experts suggest that you pay attention to elderly and vulnerable people during winter months, when they may not be able access the services they require.

Cold winter weather can have an effect on every part of your body, including your privates.

Also, cold weather increases your risk of serious conditions like heart attacks or blood clots.

Here are the top health dangers from the cold.

Winter vagina

Claire Foss is a nutritional therapist and Claire Foss says that the vagina has a delicate microbiome.Optibac Probioticsexplains.

Claire said: “Some of our beloved winter habits such as taking hot baths, wearing heavy clothing, and even the dry air from cranking up the central heating can upset the vaginal microbiome, creating the perfect environment for a ‘winter vagina’.”

Winter vaginal symptoms include infection and Trish Coulton founderwww.bondi-body.com& Bondi Laser at home said wearing tights, trousers and layers can restrict the air to our most intimate areas.

She described the feeling as being a bit like Tupperware that doesn’t let air in. This makes it difficult for skin to breathe, and keeps everything sealed in.

“It’s a melting pot of infections. Symptoms of cystitis and thrush are odour and vaginal discharge, and the bacteria from these infections gets trapped in the bikini hair, exasperating the issue and causing discomfort.

“Wearing tight clothes after shaving can chaff and cause skin infections and also, bikini stubble can become itchy and sore. (We have all walked down the street and had a little wiggle itch).”

Blood clots

Temperature changes can cause extreme thermal stress, which causes the body to have to work harder to maintain a constant temperature.

In particular, research has shown this makes it more likely for people to suffer from dangerous blood clots during winter.

From Nice, France, a team of researchers suggested that winter respiratory infections might make patients more vulnerable for blood clots.

They suggested that cold temperatures might cause blood vessels to constrict and increase the chance of blood clots.

Incontinence

Pelvic health physiotherapist Clare Bourne said the cold weather can wreak havoc on your pelvic floor, and subsequently lead to issues with incontinence.

Get research from a female technology companyElviefound that 45 per cent of British women need a wee more when it’s cold.

Clare explained: “When you’re cold, blood vessels constrict to get more blood and warmth to our vital organs.

“This is when your blood pressure rises temporarily. To control it, the kidneys filter out excess fluid. This causes us to have to pass more urine.

When the bladder sends a signal to the brain that there is urine present, we feel the need to go to the toilet. This occurs before our bladder becomes full. We have enough time to find a place to use.

“If we repeatedly ignore the urge to go and spend long periods of time holding in urine this can lead to pelvic floor tension, which can lead to other symptoms.”

Flu

Experts warn that flu cases could explode due to the current’super cold snap of weather blanketing Britain.

Consult epidemiologist Dr Conall Watson at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said that while many have received their flu jabs, the UK had to take it ‘one step further’ this winter.

He said, “Temperatures have dropped and winter is coming.” Flu typically increases at this time of the year, so if you are eligible for an NHS flu vaccine and haven’t had it yet, please book as soon as you can.

“We have now met the World Health Organisation target for flu vaccine uptake in those aged 65 and over, but we need to go further to make sure more people are protected this winter.”

Flu symptoms are more severe in winter months. Cold weather can also exacerbate flu symptoms.

Mood changes

Many people find winter difficult to deal with. Some suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

According to the NHS, SAD can also be called winter depression. This is because symptoms are often more evident during the winter months.

It’s a type de depression, and can have severe effects on your day to day activities.

Although the cause of SAD remains elusive, experts believe it could be due to the lack of sunlight during winter months.

The hypothalamus, which is a portion of the brain that controls the light levels, might not function properly if there isn’t enough sunlight.

This is known to cause a decrease in the body’s ability to produce melatonin, a hormone that causes you to feel tired.

It can also affect serotonin levels, which could impact your mood, appetite, sleep, and internal body clock.

Asthma

Experts at Asthma UK say that winter can be ​a dangerous time for people with asthma as chilly weather, colds and flu, chest infections and mould are more common and can trigger life-threatening asthma attacks.

These attacks can cause inflammation of the airways, which can lead to symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing.

“Keep your relief inhaler (usually blue), with you at all costs, and take their regular preventer inhaler as directed. ​

Simple scarfs can also save lives.

“Do a ‘scarfie’ – wrapping a scarf loosely over your nose and mouth to help warm up the air before they breathe it in, ​as cold air is another asthma attack trigger.

“It could also be helpful to stick to indoor activities when the weather is particularly cold”They offer their advice.

Heart attacks

Recent research has shown that those exposed to cold temperatures are more likely than others to have a heart attack.

Researchers from Sweden from Lund University in Sweden found that the average number of heart attacks per day was significantly higher when the weather as cold compared to when the weather was warm.

On a day-to-day basis it translated to four more heart attacks per day when the average temperature was below zero.

It is thought the risk of heart attacks is higher in cold weather because the body responds to feeling chilly by restricting superficial blood vessels.

This reduces the skin’s temperature and increases blood flow to the arteries.

Your body will also begin to shiver, and your heart rate will increase to keep you warm.

However, these responses can put extra stress on your heart.

Flaky scalp

The perfect conditions for dandruff growth are the cooler temperatures, low central heating, and dairy-rich food leading up to Christmas.

Dandruff is a condition where the microbiome of the scalp becomes unbalanced. Philip KingsleyBrand President and Consultant Trichologist Anabel Kingsley say.

They said that yeasts live naturally on our scalps and are usually not a problem. However, when a certain species of yeast called the Malassezia yeasts overgrow, this can cause skin cells to divide too rapidly – leading to tell-take flakes and itching.

“Malassezia yeasts thrive in an oily environment, and so are likely to overgrow if you shampoo infrequently or have a naturally oily scalp. However, it is also thought that some people’s scalps are simply sensitive to normal levels of these yeasts.”