THE UK is getting it's first proper taste of winter as an arctic chill descends on parts of the country, bringing with it cold weather health warnings. Temperatures are expected to plunge rapidly across Scotland and northern England , as the Met Office warns of wind, ice and snow. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also issued a cold health alert covering the Midlands and north of England for much of the coming week, as the mercury is expected to drop to -3C.
The yellow alerts mean weather is likely to have impacts on health and social care services, with vulnerable people at the greatest risk. Cold weather can affect our health in many ways. Some of them you might expect, such as increased coughs and colds as more of us are driven to shelter inside.
Read more on cold weather But the plunge in temperature could increase the risk of several life-threatening health conditions. The newly icy temperatures could see some suffering from back pain, the so-called 'winter penis' and even an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Here are six unexpected ways cold weather can affect our bodies.
1. 'Winter penis' You might have heard men complaining that their members look a little smaller during the winter. Most read in Health While this sounds a bit a like a myth, Dr Sarah Jarvis previously told Sun Health that "technically, winter penis is a thing".
It has to do with blood vessels in the extremities contracting when it gets cold in order to redirect blood flow to vital areas .