Winter immune boost may actually cause deaths, study suggests

Increase in immune defences fights infections, but also raises risk of inflammation, causing heart attacks, stroke and diabetes during winter months

The increase in deaths during winter months is typically put down to icy weather, bouts of flu and the more sluggish lifestyles we adopt as the days draw in. Now scientists have suggested that our own immune systems may be to blame for the annual peak in conditions from heart attacks to diabetes and schizophrenia.

A study has revealed that the immune system has a seasonal cycle, in which its activity is boosted during the winter and relaxes during the summer.