Hi. In this education post, I talk about cold weather and student health. It is getting cold in the Toronto area in early December. It is important to take care of yourself especially in the colder weather.
Being Sick Impacts Learning
When you are sick, you are not your usual self. Your energy, thinking and work rate is at a lower level. For students, being sick impacts learning in many ways. It is harder to focus in class if you are coughing, sniffling and/or have a sore throat. If the illness gets really bad, you may have to skip classes to recover at home. For some classes, missing one or two classes can really set you far behind. Catching up in class may not be easy.
I have heard an extreme case lately where someone did not dress up warmly enough for winter weather. She ended up fainting in between classes. My theory is that she was really cold and there was not enough blood circulation. Be careful out there. Schools may not have functioning heaters to make the classrooms warm.
Recovering From Illness, Cough & Cold
Those who have cough and cold and related symptoms need to recover as soon as possible (ASAP). They need to be back in regular form for learning and for everyday functioning. One of my top recommendations is warm tea with lemon and honey if you have some. Add ginger pieces to warm tea helps too. Nutrition is super important too. Avoid fried foods, have hot soups and vegetables.
In terms of dressing up, sweaters and layered clothes help a lot. For those recovering at home, you may want to add some sleep. Students may want to ask (elementary/high-school) teachers if they can self-study as they cannot make class.