Should You Exercise When You Are Sick?

With cold and flu season finally among us, many people find themselves asking whether or not they should push through a workout while they are sick, or to just take it easy and rest. When you are on a consistent workout routine, taking a day off from the gym can feel like the end of the world. You may feel like if you take a few days off from working out, you can possibly lose motivation or fall out of your routine altogether. 

However, deciding whether or not you should give your body a rest or get yourself into the gym to fight through, comes down to a few simple things. According to multiple studies, the "above the neck" rule, tends to be a good standard to follow. Meaning, If your symptoms include a runny nose, dry cough, or sneezing, (above the neck) you should be fine to exercise. But, if your symptoms are below the neck, such as chest congestion, muscle aches, fever, fatigue, upset stomach, nausea, etc., it is a good idea to rest. If you have a high temperature and try to "sweat out your fever", this can be very dangerous. Working out raises your internal body temperature, so if you already have a fever, this can actually make things WAY worse. It will push your recovery time and prolong your days out of the gym.

Giving your body rest will allow your immune system to recover and you might actually feel stronger once you do get back into the gym. Drink plenty of fluids, get extra sleep and stock up on some vitamin C. 

If you do decide to workout when coming down with a common cold, you should be able to workout without many limitations. However, if you feel worse after the workout, then that is a sign that you should give your body a few days off to get back to normal. 

Overall, working out on a regular basis helps to improve your immune system. Exercise boosts the amount of T cells in your body, which help with immunity. On the other hand, for more intense gym-goers, intense exercise durations that last longer than 90 minutes, can actually weaken your immune system. That is why it is important to get back into your intense workouts more slowly after you first recover from an illness. Instead of running for 30 minutes, try a slower paced jog. Instead of 5 heavy sets lifts, start with 2 or 3. 

In order to try and stay healthy during this cold and flu season, it is important to exercise regularly and get the appropriate amount of vitamins and nutrients your body needs.