Doctors gave advice on how to survive “weather swings”: “No stress”

Changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure that are observed these days negatively affect the well-being of many people. So, since the morning of January 11, it was -1 in some places, and by the evening the temperature dropped to -11 (-17 “feels like”). Many of us, even quite healthy people, feel such changes in the weather: they begin to get sick or dizzy, some people’s blood pressure fluctuates, and weakness appears. What else threatens a sharp change in weather, which categories of people endure it especially hard and how their condition can be alleviated, “MK” found out from doctors of different profiles.

Why are such climatic jumps from cold to warm and vice versa dangerous? When weather conditions change gradually, our body manages to adapt to all indicators: humidity, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, geomagnetic activity… But from time to time we are faced with “weather swings”. And this winter especially suffers from this. Back in early November, the head of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia, Roman Vilfand, warned that throughout the current winter period, not only in Moscow, but also in the European and Asian parts of Russia, the temperature background will mainly be around or above normal, but there will be differences: from thaws to noticeable frosts – 15… –20.

“Weather changes affect the most vulnerable categories of people: young children, the elderly and people with any chronic diseases,” explains cardiologist Amina Platunova. — Patients with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, chronic heart failure, coronary heart disease) are especially sensitive to such temperature changes. Average, relatively healthy people, young or middle-aged, may also experience discomfort – for them this may be expressed in headaches, weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, the head may be “heavy”, but in general they tolerate such changes more easily. For example, this affects children in such a way that they are capricious, difficult to put to sleep, and sleep poorly.

In general, in too hot (+27 and above) and cold weather (-20 and below) you should not walk with children; the same applies to older people. Abnormal heat, as well as abnormal cold, are harmful to healthy people. If you need to go outside in severe frost, try not to stay there for a long time, go somewhere to warm up, interrupt your stay in the cold, otherwise you will not notice how you will get hypothermia. If it hurts you to breathe from the frost, then such a walk will not be beneficial.

We can’t get away from atmospheric pressure, here we can advise you to take your usual painkiller, which helps you, to relieve symptoms, or, for example, a drug that lowers blood pressure if the reaction to the weather manifests itself in the form of increased pressure or a hypertensive crisis. Patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases must take their usual medications and, as a rule, they are prescribed what to take additionally if their condition worsens.

If you notice that you have a constant headache due to changing weather, it makes sense to contact a neurologist who understands the causes of chronic headaches, migraines, etc. Perhaps there are indications for some specialized therapy.

— Firstly, weather-sensitive people, and, secondly, people with cardiovascular diseases, but not only cardiovascular diseases, but also other chronic diseases, when people are on constant therapy, may feel bad during such changes “, – in turn, adds therapist Elena Kudryashova. “And here the most important thing is not to stop your usual therapy, not to stop taking medications, not to regulate the dosage yourself, which, unfortunately, can often be found. Only a doctor can change the dosage or discontinue a drug.

The doctor also gave advice on how to improve well-being on such days. All healthy lifestyle activities will help, as well as creating comfortable conditions in your home (if possible).

For example, you need to ensure that the apartment has adequate humidity – at least 40-50%. Especially in winter, when radiators dry the air in apartments, it is advisable to have a humidifier running, or, in the absence of one, you can hang wet towels or sheets on the radiators. It is also desirable that the temperature in the house is not too low and not too high: not lower than +22.

If you need to go outside in the cold, you need to dress according to the weather (do not neglect a hat, scarf, mittens).

Next, this, of course, is proper nutrition: a balanced diet without trans fats, without ultra-processed foods, without the abuse of confectionery and alcohol. It is advisable to eat more vegetables and fruits, as well as seafood, which contain healthy fats and Omega-3 (which is much better than animal fats).

The duration of sleep should be at least seven hours – this is enough to get enough sleep. It is advisable not to sit too long in front of the TV or using gadgets – it is better to give them up an hour before bedtime (watching negative news before bedtime is especially harmful).

“The nervous system is also responsible for regulating our blood vessels,” explains the doctor, “therefore, when the sympathetic nervous system is activated, our blood vessels narrow, and this happens under stress. The calmer a person is, the more stable the condition of his blood vessels will be.

– Let’s remind you what kind of “meteor dependent people” these are?

— The question is interesting. In general, such a medical diagnosis, as we know, does not exist. The concept is very vague and individual. For example, I believe that mostly non-stress-resistant people or suggestible, suspicious people who, knowing that there will be a temperature jump, mentally prepare to feel its influence, suffer from weather sensitivity. They work themselves up and begin to look for some physical changes in themselves. And, as a rule, they find… My subjective opinion is that a person who leads a healthy lifestyle is physically active and not subject to stress, or if he keeps his chronic diseases in remission, then he should not react so sharply to weather changes.