Ever notice that your nose gets a bit runny when temperatures drop outside? There’s a reason for that.
For many, a runny nose is an unfortunate part of winter. About 50 to 90 percent of people get a runny nose when it’s cold outside. But it’s not a sign that you’re getting sick, it’s just a side effect of your body warming up cold, outside air before passing it on into your lungs.
It’s called “cold-induced rhinitis”, or “skier nose”, and it’s a completely healthy — albeit annoying — part of your body’s ability to regulate the humidity of the you breath.
It’s the job of your nose to make sure that the air you breath is warm and humid so that it doesn’t irritate your lungs. When breathing in freezing temperatures, the air in the back of the nose always hovers around 79ºF (and as high as 86ºF), while the humidity is usually 100 percent, regardless of temperature. This helps both add moisture and warmth to every breath, saving your lungs the trouble of dealing with the cold, dry shock.
So how does your nose do this neat trick? Cold, dry air stimulates the nerves inside your nose, which tells your brain to increase the blood flow to that area. This dilates the blood vessels in your nose, which warms the air passing over them.
This whole process triggers the nose to produce more secretions through the nose’s mucus glands. This provides the added moisture needed to regulate the air to the human body’s liking.
Cold air also stimulates your immune system, called “mast cells” in your nose, which triggers even more moisture production from your nose. You can lose up to 13.5 fl ounces as this happens.
But it’s not a perfect system. The delicate cycle between heating and moisture and cold air evaporation isn’t always in balance. Your body’s need to humidify the air will always work to overcome the cooling of your nose and evaporation, but the excess production can leave you with an annoying nose drip.
It’s a natural function of your body, so there’s no need to look for a cure. Just carry a handkerchief or tissue and consider all the little ways your body takes care of you without you even knowing.
(h/t The Conversation)
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