Question: Do you think that depending of the season we are in, the body works in one way or another?

LauraAnne Furlong answered on 9 Nov 2016:

yes, as Dan said it has to do with what we call circadian rhythms, and that manes what how our body works varies on the time of day/month/year it is. These rhythms are the reason why some people seem to be naturally very alert and perky in the mornings, whereas others are very slow and sleepy in the morning and then perk up later in the day and night. Differences in how our body works can also be seen across the year, so for example when the weather is warmer in summer, our body will work harder to keep cool through an increase in sweating, whereas in winter the body needs to work harder to actually generate and maintain body heat so we don’t get a chill. As there is an increased risk of falls during winter because of ice, there has actually been some research done into how we move differently when walking on icy surfaces compared to on a normal, safe surface and this is based on feedback we get from our limbs when they touch the ground; differences were seen so this is another way our body works differently at different times of year.