Bone & joint healthGeneral wellnessSkin health

9 ways winter can hurt your health

Why your skin is flaking, your joints are aching and more.

Jan, 2026
LearnWinter health9 ways winter can hurt your health
Slide 1
YOU GET SICK OFTEN
YOUR TOES FEEL NUMB
YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE GOES UP
YOUR JOINTS FEEL STIFF
YOU PUT ON WEIGHT
YOU FEEL TIRED AND SAD
YOUR SKIN IS DRY AND FLAKY
YOU RAISE YOUR HEART ATTACK RISK
YOU UP YOUR RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

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Slide 1

Ever wonder why cold weather might make you look and feel years older? From dry skin to poor circulation to weight gain, winter can wreak havoc on your system. We spoke with Scott Joy, MD, an internal medicine doctor at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, to learn the science behind cold-weather side effects.

Here are nine ways winter affects your health. Plus, get tips on how to take care of yourself when the temperature drops.

Written byRose Hayes, MA, RN.
Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.September, 2023
Sources: Harvard Health Publishing. “Out in the cold.” January 2010. Accessed October 9 + 13
  1. Harvard Health Publishing. “Out in the cold.” January 2010. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  2. J Brainard, M Gobel, et al. “Health implications of disrupted circadian rhythms and the potential for daylight as therapy.” Anesthesiology. May 2015. 122(5), 1170–1175.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): How to Protect Yourself & Others.” September 11, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  4. HBasit, TJ. Wallen, C Dudley. “Frostbite.” StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan.
  5. American Heart Association. “Understanding Blood Pressure Readings.” 2020.”
  6. American Heart Association. “Hypertension Guideline Resources.” October 26, 2018. Accessed October 22, 2020.
  7. JS Petrofsky, M Laymon, & H Lee. “Effect of heat and cold on tendon flexibility and force to flex the human knee.” Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research. August 12, 2013. 19, 661–667.
  8. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research; Marriott BM, Carlson SJ, editors. Nutritional Needs In Cold And In High-Altitude Environments: Applications for Military Personnel in Field Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1996. 7, Physiology of Cold Exposure.
  9. UpToDate.com. “Seasonal affective disorder: Treatment.” September 2020. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  10. UpToDate.com. “Seasonal affective disorder: Epidemiology, clinical features, assessment, and diagnosis.” September 2020. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  11. Cleveland Clinic. “Yes, Shoveling Snow Can Actually Be Dangerous to Your Heart.” March 5, 2020. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  12. Harvard Health Publishing. “Protect your heart when shoveling snow.” January 15, 2011. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.” January 3, 2020. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Routine Surveillance.” December 27, 2019. Accessed October 9, 2020.

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