When to Exercise When You’re Under the Weather

Oh, good old cold and flu season. Feeling under the weather is never fun. And on top of not feeling well because you’re sick, you may feel a little guilty because you aren’t hitting the gym either. You may be tempted to go ahead and get a workout in even when you aren’t feeling well. It turns out it’s okay sometimes (and can be beneficial)! Other times, however, it can slow your body’s ability to fight off illness. How can you tell?

When you have a mild cold (with symptoms limited to above your neck; see below for when to rest) and you’re feeling up to it, light to moderate exercise (no intense workouts, please!) might actually be beneficial. Here’s why:

It improves your circulation, which can give your immune system a little boost.
Temporary symptom relief! That increases circulation from light to moderate exercise when you’re a little sick, can relieve symptoms like nasal congestion, open up your airways, and make you a little less miserable during and for a short time after your workout.
Being sick sucks. Often, it puts us in a worse head space than normal. But exercise, as we know, is a great way to boost your mood! Those endorphins help you feel happier (plus, you’ll be so proud of yourself for getting that workout in!).
Speaking of endorphins, the endorphins released when you work out increase your energy levels, so a light workout when you have a cold might help relieve some mild fatigue!

But remember!! Listen to your body. Overdoing it will make things worse and slow down your healing process. If you start to exercise and it makes you feel worse, give it a day or two. And remember to stay hydrated! Hydration is important anyway, but when you’re sick, you need to hydrate more than normal anyway, so don’t short yourself on water!

Here’s when you should rest:

When you have a fever (often accompanied by body chills and fatigue), rest is best! Why? Well, exercise can raise your body temperature, which is generally best to avoid when it’s already high. You are also much more likely to become dehydrated. And that workout puts additional stress on your body, particularly your immune system. Chill out (literally, hopefully!) and give your body some time to get better.
You are experiencing body aches, abnormal fatigue, or a bad cough. Rest up! Again, your immune system needs all the energy your body can give it to fight off whatever you happen to have picked up. As you get better and symptoms decrease, you can ease back into it, but don’t do anything too intense while your body is fighting off illness.
When you have shortness of breath or chest congestion. First off, why would you want to work out when you can hardly breathe? Overexerting yourself worsens your symptoms, and your respiratory system doesn’t need to be overworked when it’s already fighting for its life! Take a hot shower, grab some hot tea, and tuck into a nice book or movie. Let your body do its thing!

Basically, use the “Neck Check” Rule: If your symptoms are above the neck (runny nose, mild sore throat), light exercise may be okay. If your symptoms are below the neck (such as body aches, fever, extreme fatigue, and/or heavy chest congestion), it’s best to rest. Returning to exercise if you’ve been really sick should be slow and steady. You might feel 100% better, but your body might be fighting illness for a day or two after you feel like you’re on the mend, so it’s best to stick to moderate workouts for a day or two before you jump back into heavy lifting or intense cardio. And, of course, when in doubt, talk to your doctor!

Stay happy and healthy!