Low temperatures often coincide with the appearance of joint pain. Is this seasonal discomfort just a coincidence, or is there a real physiological link between cold weather and joint pain?
We review the common causes of these pains during the winter, along with tips provided by experts to prevent them and deal with them effectively.
What joints are most susceptible to pain during the winter?
“All joints can be affected, but pain may be more noticeable in joints with complex bony structures that are far from the center of the body, and the hands and feet are more susceptible to this pain,” says John Taberner, community rehabilitation program implementation specialist at Nuffield Health.
He adds that people who suffer from joint damage or erosion may also notice an increase in pain during cold weather, according to what was reported by the British newspaper “The Independent”.
What factors may contribute to joint pain during the winter?
1. Low physical activity
Ben Lombard, a physiotherapist in London, says that people generally become less active during the winter months, due to lower temperatures. Walking and exercising outdoors decrease, and even going to the gym may decrease due to the cold weather.
He explains that decreased activity may lead to decreased joint hydration and muscle weakness; What causes pain.
The joints are surrounded by a layer known as the synovial membrane, which produces the synovial fluid responsible for lubricating the joints. Lombard explains that the lack of movement, coupled with lower temperatures, may make this fluid denser and less fluid.
2- Low atmospheric pressure
Lombard explains that atmospheric pressure often drops during the winter; Which may lead to increased pressure exerted by the muscles and tendons on the joints, and thus pain.
3- Decreased blood circulation
As temperatures drop, the body redirects blood away from the extremities to protect vital organs and keep them warm, Taberner says. This results in decreased blood flow to the joints, which may impair joint lubrication and increase pain.
Who is most susceptible to joint pain during the winter months?
Taberner says that joint pain in the winter can affect people of all ages, but it becomes more common with age, as joints naturally begin to wear down, and this may be a major cause of increased pain or stiffness.
He adds that corrosion may be more common in those who have spent many years in manual labor or engaged in high-impact physical activities that put pressure on the joints.
Also, conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure may increase the risk of developing joint problems, and thus their pain.
How can joint pain be prevented and dealt with in cold weather?
1- Take painkillers when needed
Analgesics may help relieve pain immediately, but they don't provide long-term relief from the underlying problems causing it, Taberner says. He explains that it hides pain and does not treat its causes, so it should be taken when needed, while also focusing on prevention methods.
2- Wear layers of warm clothes
Lombard advises wearing thermal clothing and multiple layers of clothing to keep the body warm, noting that this simple step may be beneficial.
3- Use heat compresses
Lombard recommends using hot water bottles or heat packs to help increase blood flow and improve joint lubrication.
4- Maintain movement
Movement stimulates the release of synovial fluid within the joints, which helps relieve stiffness, Taberner says. It also increases blood flow to the joints used and helps warm the body, which may reduce pain.
He adds that regular exercise helps strengthen joints, reduce the development of wear and tear, and reduce the risk of injury, which reduces the possibility of feeling pain.
However, it is recommended to consult a medical professional before starting any physical activity, especially for those with diagnosed medical conditions that may be affected by exercise.
5- Maintaining hydration of the body
Lombard explains that the body's hydration level affects synovial fluid, so drinking enough water may help keep joints flexible and easy to move.
6- Consult specialists
Taberner stresses the need to contact your doctor if pain appears for the first time or becomes noticeably more severe, or if the joint becomes red, swollen, or hot to the touch, or if the pain or stiffness does not improve after starting movement.
7- Think about a program to strengthen the muscles
Taberner says that a sustained strength-training program may provide additional protection and reduce the risk of joint pain in the future.
When we think of body fat, we often think of the number on the scale, or an increased waist circumference, but new research on brown fat draws attention to a different association. It showed that patients whose examinations revealed the presence of this tissue had lower rates of recorded diagnoses of anxiety and depression.
Brown fat is found in areas of the body, including the neck, near the collarbones, and under the armpits, and produces heat when activated by exposure to cold. It also absorbs the radioactive substance used to track sugar in some medical tests, making it visible on x-rays.
“What surprised us most was the lack of previous studies documenting a possible association between brown fat and mood,” endocrinologist and Rockefeller University researcher Nicholas Gomez Banoy told Science Alert.
The team's research published in 2021 linked brown fat to lower rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. After that study, which was covered by the “Science Alert” website, the researchers expanded the scope of their investigations to include hundreds of disease diagnoses.
In the study published in the journal Nature, researchers examined the medical records of more than 100,000 patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. They compared the results of PET and CT scans performed for medical reasons with the patients' diagnoses and medication records.
The team compared patients who showed brown fat on examinations with others who did not, taking into account age, sex, body mass index, and external temperature. The results showed that a diagnosis of depressive episodes was recorded in 5.4 percent of patients who had brown fat, compared to 8.2 percent of those who did not have it. Diagnoses of anxiety disorders were less common in the first group.
These associations persisted even after the analysis took into account other factors, including smoking history, type and stage of cancer, and treatment used.
The researchers wanted to know whether the amount of active brown fat and its location in the body affected the results, so they used artificial intelligence.
The team used a machine learning tool to measure the volume of brown fat and its rate of glucose absorption in about 8,700 patients who developed this fat. Together, the measurements were used to estimate brown fat activity in six areas of the body.
Higher brown fat activity around the armpits in particular was associated with improved cardiovascular and metabolic health. As for the results related to mental health, they were based on a separate comparison between the diagnoses recorded by the patients.
Patients with brown fat also had lower blood sugar levels, including one indicator that reflects average sugar levels over the long term.
“The most likely explanation is that patients with brown fat have a better metabolic profile, healthier fat distribution, and lower levels of inflammatory markers,” Gomez Banoy explained to the scientific website. “All of these factors have been associated with improved mental health outcomes.”
In contrast, patients taking some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, used to treat depression and anxiety, were less likely to have brown fat.
The traditional answer to the question of how many hours of sleep adults need has been clear for decades: 8 hours each night. However, a recent scientific review questions the validity of this rule for everyone, and indicates that sleep needs differ from one person to another, and that the timing and regularity of sleep are also important factors.
According to a report published by the Independent newspaper, the idea of the eight hours dates back to the mid-nineteenth century, when a slogan spread calling for dividing the day equally between 8 hours for work, 8 hours for leisure, and 8 hours for sleep. Since then, this rule has become established as the common standard for healthy sleep.
But a research review published in the journal Brain Medicine reconsidered this perception, indicating that 8 hours is not necessarily the ideal duration for every person.
Does a person need less than 8 hours of sleep?
Some research was based on studying the sleep patterns of hunter-gatherer communities in Tanzania, Namibia and Bolivia, and found that their members slept between 5.7 and 7.1 hours per night.
Their short sleep duration was not related to traffic noise, social media use, or exposure to artificial lighting, nor did these populations appear to rely on long periods of daytime sleep, and their members typically woke up near dawn without needing an alarm clock.
However, estimates of sleep duration vary in pre-industrial societies, depending on the method of measurement, geographic location, season of the year, and environmental factors. A recent analysis estimated the average sleep duration at about 6.4 hours.
However, the conclusion that humans naturally need this amount of sleep remains questionable. The sleep patterns of hunter-gatherer societies do not necessarily represent the ideal needs of all humans; These societies, in turn, may face pressures and sources of tension, and it is not known whether their members suffer from the same health problems associated with short sleep in modern societies.
In contrast, studies conducted on large numbers of people in industrialized societies indicate that the optimal sleep duration, as measured by the best health outcomes, may be less than 8 hours.
One study, which used brain and body scans and molecular measurements, estimated the optimal sleep duration at between 6.4 and 7.8 hours, with estimates varying depending on gender and organs included in the study.
Sleeping for too few or long hours may be linked to health problems
Both too little and too much sleep are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, and obesity.
But the relationship between long sleep and poor health is still debated. It is not always clear whether increasing hours of sleep contributes to a deterioration in health, or whether it may be an indication of the presence of a health problem.
These results raise questions about adopting the eight-hour rule as a uniform standard for everyone, and also indicate that sleeping for much longer periods of time on a regular basis may require attention to the reasons behind this.
However, estimates of optimal sleep duration are based on general averages, and individual needs vary; Young people usually need more hours of sleep than healthy older people when they have the opportunity to sleep, and the needs of people of the same age may differ.
Sleep timing and regularity are equally important factors
The issue is not only related to the number of hours of sleep, but also to its timing and how regular it is. Modern sleep patterns have become relatively late compared to the natural light and dark cycle, and most people no longer spontaneously wake up before dawn.
Many people also tend to sleep fewer hours during work days, then try to make up for it on vacation days.
Artificial lighting is one of the main factors behind this transformation; It changed sleeping habits and delayed the body's biological clock, which is the internal system that regulates sleep and wake times.
Disrupted sleep schedules are particularly common among shift workers and college students, and irregular sleep is associated with worse health outcomes.
But if a person loses some hours of sleep during the week, making up some of it on the weekend seems better than not making it up at all, even if it makes the sleep pattern less regular.
This means that regularity is important, but the total number of hours of sleep that a person gets over a week or longer period also remains important.
What is the best rule for healthy sleep?
The eight-hour rule seems overly simplistic; Sleep needs vary between people, and sleep timing plays an important role in health.
However, a key piece of advice remains: get enough sleep whenever possible, in the circumstances, without worrying too much about a bad night's sleep every now and then.
