Weather Can Affect Your Well-Being

Weather changes can influence your health and well-being. Grandma might have told you "my knee says it’s going to rain!”, and it DID...Frigid air and breathing shallow can make your body react in unexpected ways. Low hydration during hot weather or high humidity days can lead to many health issues.

Heat and Heatstroke

Heatstroke can be the end result of soaring temperatures, not drinking enough fluids, and high humidity. When temperatures spike, we tend to just keep on working, cause "It has to get done!" Most of us have heard the stories of needing to get the cattle sorted, fencing repaired, the field planted, and, ugh, getting the hay put up and into the barn.

When we don't hydrate enough and sweat out our electrolytes (minerals), dehydration and heatstroke can be the results. Heat in and of itself makes us sweat, but combined with humidity or wind can really speed the process. We start feeling nauseous, weak, and irritable. When we pay little attention to these signs, we can end up in serious trouble. Throwing up and weakness could be the least of the problems, coma and death can result as well.

The best thing to do is hydrate before, during, and after strenuous activity in high heat situations. Have a cool place to go if needed, and have someone check in regularly to make sure we are OK throughout the day. We should pay attention to our bodies and the warning signs they give us. Have a reliable source of electrolytes on hand to replenish what we've lost.

Headaches and Migraines

One possible cause of headaches is constriction of the blood vessels in the head and brain. Cold weather exposure may cause blood vessels to quickly constrict thereby lowering blood flow to the brain. When blood vessels constrict, not only is brain blood flow affected, so is the blood flow to muscles, which can tighten and cause tension headaches. Migraine headaches can also occur because of weather changes. Stormy weather (a drop in barometric pressure), extreme cold, even sun glare, can cause brain chemistry changes that trigger migraines.

Heat can also be a trigger for migraines. The American Migraine Foundation states on their website that "Storms, excessive heat and changes in barometric pressure are common weather-related migraine triggers that can lead to a migraine attack. High humidity and heat can easily lead to dehydration, another common trigger." Track your headaches, the severity of pain, where they occur, and take note of any weather-related events that may be a trigger. Tracking your headaches is one way to know what your triggers are and avoid severe headaches or migraines in the future.

Colds

Being in close contact with others, spending more time inside, can increase your chance of catching any virus (cold or flu). Viruses can be contagious for a few days before the development of symptoms, so it's easy to become exposed without knowing it. Some viruses can live for 2-4 hours outside a host. Wash your hands often and stay clear of persons with symptoms. 

Joint Pain

One way joints might be affected by colder weather is an increase in soft tissue swelling, causing pressure on the joint and therefore pain. Another cause might be the lack of hydration mentioned above. If the joint does not have the internal moisture it needs to function properly, local pain can be the result. Lack of hydration can also cause muscle, tendon, and ligament contractions leading to functional changes in the ways we can move. Those changes can be painful as well.

Dry Skin 

When temperatures drop, the humidity also goes down, which in turn provides less moisture to the skin. Combined with lower temperatures, winter winds can leave your skin red and itchy. The skin has a protective layer of fats that can be damaged by exposure. When damaged, we can become increasingly susceptible to infection. Furnaces and heating stoves can actually dry out your home and your skin.  Use a humidifier in your home to help. Adding moisture to the air can help rehydrate your skin, - even while you sleep. If you are outside a lot (hello farmers!), make sure to hydrate all year long. Dry skin, cracked lips, and itching are telltale signs that you are not getting the internal hydration you need to stay healthy.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is made in our skin by sun exposure on our skin. When the weather gets colder, we stay indoors more and do not receive enough sun exposure to make sufficient vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D can include greater pain sensitivity, tire easily and weakness. You can increase your vitamin D levels by getting skin exposed to sunlight outdoors and in other ways too; consuming milk and other liquids (fruit juices – check labels), eating fatty fish, or taking a reputable supplement. Vitamin D requirements can vary by person, ask your healthcare professional about your recommended dose.

Breathing Problems

Falling temperatures can cause muscle spasms of the small airways in your lungs, making them narrower and causing shortness of breath. You can wear a mask or other face-covering that limits the temperature difference as you breathe. 

Weakened Skin and Nails

Cold can cause the small blood vessels (capillaries) in our skin, fingers, and toes to constrict. This can reduce blood flow, the delivery of water, nutrition, and oxygen -  resulting in dry skin and nails. Dry skin and nails can be more prone to minor cuts and injuries.

Low Energy and Depression 

During the winter months, lots of people say “I feel sad.” No kidding. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) strikes during the colder months because of less light exposure during the day.  People experiencing symptoms of SAD produce more ‘serotonin transporter’ chemicals in their brains, which lock serotonin, the hormone that causes feelings of happiness. When serotonin can't perform its function, we experience a lowering of our “happiness”.

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