Winter cold waves can cause much harm to our health. It affects many vital organs of our body, including the lungs. The cold and dry air of winter can cause significant harm to our lungs. Consequently, it is crucial to take precautions against it. Know how winter weather affects the lungs and how to protect yourself.
You may know how much-increasing cold can affect our health, but it is more dangerous than you thought. Due to cold waves, there is a negative impact on your vital organs like lungs, heart, etc., and problems in their functioning, which can be fatal. It can be more dangerous for those who are already suffering from any disease, like asthma, COPD, etc. Understandably, it harms the heart due to the constriction of blood vessels, but how can it harm the lungs? Let us know how cold harms your lungs and how to protect yourself.
How does winter affect the lungs?
We wear woolen clothes to keep ourselves warm in winter, but cold air enters our respiratory tract, which is quite dry. Due to this, our respiratory tract, i.e., air passage, gets irritated and starts shrinking, called bronchospasm. Its symptoms are mainly similar to asthma symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, etc. This problem can be even more dangerous for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is crucial to take precautions against it as a result.
How to take care of your lungs in winter?
Go out as little as possible
Go out as little as possible to protect your lungs from the dry winter air. If not necessary, stay indoors. This is the best option to avoid cold waves.
Cover mouth and nose
If you are going out somewhere, cover your mouth and nose. Due to this, cold air will not go directly into your lungs. The air does not become as cold as it enters inside by using a scarf or mask.
Do not exercise outside
Exercising outside can be very stressful for your lungs. Therefore, do not exercise outside. Also, do not do any heavy exercise outside. This may cause more difficulty in breathing.
Breathe through nose
We often breathe through our mouth instead of our nose, so the air is not humidified as much, and there can be problems in air passage. Therefore, breathe through the nose so moisture can enter the air.
Drink plenty of awater
Due to lack of water, the mucus layer starts becoming thick, which can block the air passage. Therefore, drink plenty of water so the mucus layer remains thin.
Carry an inhaler
This season is more difficult for asthma and COPD patients, so always keep an inhaler with you so that there is no problem in breathing.
contact doctor
If you are facing more problems due to cold, contact your doctor and get advice on how these problems can be avoided.
