Exercising when sick may not be the best option. Your immune system takes a hit and it can make you uncomfortable to exercise.
I can’t imagine sweating at the gym when I have a high fever or a runny nose. It’s not really fun or for the best. Yes, it seems that exercising when sick should be put on hold until you recover. It turns out that exercise has rules. Read on to find out if exercise is good for you during illness.
Working with Dr. Tushar Tayal, Consultant, Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, and Transformational Life Coach Vaneeta Batra, HealthShots determines if you need to exercise when you’re sick.
exercise and illness
When you’re not feeling well, your body needs rest to recover. Exercising during this time can delay recovery, he says, Dr. Tayal. To know if you can exercise when you are sick, you can follow the above-the-neck rule. He shared that if symptoms are confined to the face, such as a stuffy nose or sore throat, light exercise can be done. cough, wheezing, etc.) should be avoided during workouts.
Do not exercise when you have a high fever
A fever weakens your immune system. Vigorous exercise can temporarily weaken your immune system and make your illness worse. Another thing is that exercising when sick diverts the body’s resources to exercise repair and recovery, which should ideally be used to fight the disease. That’s why strenuous exercise should be avoided during illness, says Dr. Tayal.
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Now you can exercise
Powering up in a run or dance class can make you feel better on a normal day. But if you have a stuffy nose, cough or fever, it may not seem like the best thing to do.When you’re sick, you should listen to your body.
If you want to move and have the energy to do so, or if your symptoms are mild, you can exercise. Refrain from exercising if you have a high fever, body aches, cough, vomiting, rashes, colds, or other health concerns.
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Exercises that can be done when symptoms are mild
If your symptoms are above the neck, you may consider the following exercise options for exercising during your illness.
1. Walking
A cold can affect your energy levels, so you may not want to do strenuous exercise. Walking has many benefits and may even help improve cold symptoms, Battra says.
2. Yoga
Yoga and breathing exercises can help boost your immunity. Choose a slower style of practice like Hatha Yoga, or focus on restorative poses like Child’s Pose or Legs to the Wall.
3. Stretching and mobility exercises
Find an upright pole, fence, or wall that you can use for support while leaning on some of these stretching and mobility exercises.
4. Neck stretch
A neck stretch can help relieve the symptoms of a bad cold and relieve tension around the neck and chest, says Batra.
5. Standing forward bend
Slouching improves blood flow, protects your sinuses, and is a simple way to relieve congestion.
