You have ever probably heard someone say that the reason you caught a cold was that you were run-down. People generally accept that if you are under press or run-down, you are more likely to get ill. But is this really true or is it just an old wives’ tale?

The problem with old sayings like this is that it is often difficult to prove whether they are true or not. If you ask people with colds if they are feeling run-down, they are almost certain to say yes. People without colds are more likely to say no. So, how do you can tell if it’s the cold that is making them feel run-down or the fact that they are run-down that is making them more likely to catch a cold?

Scientists at the Common Cold Research Centre ran a series of tests. They got volunteers without colds to attend the centre, where they were first given a questionaire to complete. The questions measured the amount of stress each of them was under. They were then deliberately injected with a cold virus and left to see whether they developed a cold. After many people had been tested, the researchers looked for a link between the measured stress level and the chances of catching a cold. They found that the hingher the stress, the more likely the person was to catch a cold.They found that the higher the stress makes someone more likely to become ill, but now that the link has been found,researchers might be able to investigate further. They may even find different ways of combating disease