Have you noticed how much more likely you are to get sick in the fall and winter than in the late spring and summer?
This is because you are exposed to several types of stressors in the colder months than in the warmer months. Stress, or what the human body perceives as stress, isn’t just psychological or emotional in nature- like any very difficult situation in life. There are also chemical, biological, and physical stressors, some of which are seasonal.
Colder weather and air constitute a stressor to the human body. The human body tries to keep itself warm at 37 degrees and needs to exert, internally, more effort to achieve that in the winter. This makes cold temperature a natural stressor for your body.
All of these types of stressors stimulate the release of excess amounts of stress hormones, especially cortisol. Cortisol suppresses the healthy functioning of the immune system and weakens its ability to keep viruses and bacteria at bay. This results in colds, flus, and COVID-like symptoms.