As South Korea approaches the spring equinox around March 20, experts warn that the large temperature differences during this season, particularly from early March to early April, can greatly affect the health of the elderly. Research conducted by a Seoul National University health team across 30 cities in South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan has determined that for every 1-degree rise in temperature difference, the overall mortality rate increases by 0.58%, with the elderly population aged 65 and above being particularly vulnerable to these fluctuations.

Age-related vulnerabilities to temperature fluctuations are heightened due to biological changes in the elderly. Bruce McEwen, a noteworthy professor in neuroendocrinology at Harvard Medical School, emphasized that older adults face greater costs to maintain homeostasis under stress, leading to negative impacts on cardiovascular and immune systems. As older people are repeatedly exposed to significant temperature changes, their bodies struggle to regulate blood vessel constriction and dilation, risking abrupt blood pressure fluctuations, heart attacks, and strokes.

Moreover, the phenomenon of sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass, exacerbates vulnerability to temperature stresses. The Korean Sarcopenia Society notes that individuals aged 60 and above can lose 8-10% of muscle mass every decade, reaching as low as half compared to young adults by age 80. These muscles play not only a critical role in movement but also in regulating blood sugar, heat production, and blood circulation. When leg muscles weaken with age, older adults may have difficulty maintaining blood pressure during colder temperatures, amplifying stress on the heart. Coupled with immune aging, which decreases the number and functionality of immune cells, significant temperature change stress can lead to excessive inflammatory signals leading to further health complications for this demographic.