Can Cold Weather & Changing Temperatures Make You Sick?

BOSTON (CBS) -- You may have noticed that everyone around you is sick, and you might even be under the weather yourself.

While it's true that more cold viruses are circulating in the fall and wintertime, it's not the changing temperature that's behind your runny nose, sore throat or nagging cough.

"There's a huge misconception out there that cold weather actually makes you sick," WBZ-TV's Dr. Mallika Marshall tells WBZ NewsRadio 1030. "But it's not really the cold weather, it's the viruses that are circulating and it's what we tend to do when it's cold outside, and that is huddle together inside, sneezing and coughing all over each other."

Winter also dries out our noses and mouths, which makes it easier for viruses to invade our bodies. Recent research also suggests that when your nose is cold, you can be more susceptible to viruses.

Dr. Marshall says it's best to follow tried and true advice of washing your hands, and don't cough and sneeze on other people. It's also not too late to get a flu shot, she said.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karyn Regal reports: