IT’S common knowledge we are all more likely to get sick during winter. But what does science have to say about why? You’re outside on an unexpectedly chilly day. You forgot to wear your hat and gloves and now you’re shivering. Is it a given that you’re going to catch a cold or come down with the flu? Maybe. The odds of catching a common cold or influenza are highest during the fall and winter.

However, the weather itself cannot cause either of these viral illnesses. It can, however, set the stage for certain factors that decrease your immunity and increase opportunities to catch a cold or the flu. Cold weather doesn’t make you sick, germs do, but research suggests that cold weather can create conditions that help those germs survive and thrive.

Cold, Flu, and Cough Treatment Naturally

Here, we investigate 5 reasons why you’re more likely to get sick in the colder winter months: