Staying Clean and Healthy During Fall Activities
Looking back through photo albums, it can be so energizing to remember a particularly fun hayride or family night by the campfire. Still, we can sometimes forget that while full of fun fall activities, cooler seasons are associated with higher rates of illness.
Understanding the science behind why we get sick more often during the fall may help us make better plans for staying clean and healthy during fall activities, giving us even more time to focus on making memories.
The Science of Staying Clean and Healthy in the Fall
Study after study has demonstrated that we’re more likely to get sick during colder months, but experts make clear that it’s not for the reasons we tend to think. One pervasive myth about fall and winter is that exposure to cold temperatures alone can cause you to get sick, but scientists have repeatedly debunked this.
Scientists have demonstrated that higher rates of illness in fall and winter stem from several factors, like the likelihood that our behavior as a society changes in the fall. During colder months, we tend to spend more time in more crowded indoor spaces because the fall months are densely packed with holiday parties, work events, and seasonal celebrations.
Fall Activities and High-Touch Surfaces
The fall months are about coming together as a community, sharing food, and making memories. For this reason, there is quite a bit of overlap between fall activities, germs and high-touch surfaces.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to remove germs. Remember that you should be especially vigilant about encountering high-touch surfaces for indoor fall activities.
Indoor events will likely be more common and crowded than during the summer. For this reason, ensure that you’re paying attention to your surroundings and practicing good hand hygiene.
Furthermore, don’t forget that several popular fall activities will involve animals. Hayrides occur in more rural areas, meaning that animals and livestock are likely to be nearby. Petting zoos also bring you into close contact with animals.
Strategies For Staying Clean
Fall activities are fun and exciting, but as tempted as we may be to live in the moment, we must keep in mind that our health and those around us should be a consistent high priority. Maintaining good hand hygiene has been demonstrated to reduce your exposure to many common germs.
Being healthy shouldn’t come at the cost of skipping out on fall activities. Instead, make sure that you have some healthy hand hygiene habits pinned down this fall:
Prioritize Strategic Handwashing with Soap and Water
Especially when you’re out and about, you can’t always go to the bathroom and wash your hands. But even still, know the most important times to put in that extra effort. According to the CDC, there are a few essential activities when we should wash our hands before and after:
- Preparing food
- Eating food
- Caring for or interacting with someone who is sick
You should also wash your hands after touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
Use Hand Sanitizer when Soap and Water Aren’t an Option
While washing hands with soap and water is the most effective method for removing germs, it’s not always an option. Life moves quickly. Sometimes it isn’t practical to break away for a handwash or set off in search of soap and water.
When that happens, it’s essential to have a backup plan. The CDC clarifies that when soap and water aren’t an option, it’s essential to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol. The alcohol content should be printed on the hand sanitizer’s product label if you’re unsure about its alcohol content.
Remember that, as with handwashing with soap and water, you should allow time for the hand sanitizer to dry.
Live life to the fullest by taking in everything the cooler weather offers you. A health-conscious approach to fun fall activities will make this your best holiday season yet!
