When your parents told you to put on a coat before you go outside or you'll catch cold, there's a small kernel of truth to that.
"If you're a little bit colder outside, your body's immune system may just drop a little bit because it's spending extra effort to keep you warm," Mayo Clinic family physician Dr. Jesse Bracamonte said. "That's not with everybody, but, in some cases, it may predispose you to a cold.”
Bracamonte said the cold weather itself doesn't cause the common cold. However, as winter temps dip down, the chances of spreading a respiratory virus go up because more time is spent indoors with others.
