Growing up, you may have heard that if you played outside in the rain, you would likely catch a cold. Now, as an adult, you may be wondering if there’s any validity to that statement or if it was just your mother’s way of keeping you from dragging your wet shoes across her floor. The truth is, you may have a greater chance of getting sick after spending a prolonged amount of time in the rain, but it’s a little more complex than the old saying makes it seem. Colds happen due to viruses, not rain. Being cold from prolonged exposure to rain outside may lower the effectiveness of your immune system, making you more likely to catch a cold virus, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll get one. So, while rain can’t actually give you a cold, it may weaken your immunity system and lower your resistance to the virus that causes them. Can you prevent a cold? While you may not be able to prevent a cold, you can lower your chances of getting one by doing what your mother said: washing your hands frequently, refraining from sharing food and beverages, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep. In the end, your mother will always be right on some level.
