Doctors say the safety of exercising when you have an upper respiratory tract infection is a common concern. Many people force themselves to exercise even if they don’t feel 100% comfortable or hope that a good workout will help them get rid of an illness.
It can be frustrating when a cold or seasonal virus disrupts your weekly workout schedule, especially if you’re training for a race or competition. So what should you do if you have a runny nose? Here’s what you need to know:
If your symptoms are mild and above the neck, you’re likely OK to work out.
Generally speaking, if you only have symptoms above the neck…like congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, then it’s probably safe to exercise.
The evidence that moderate exercise does not cause mild colds to last longer or make cold symptoms more severe is reassuring in these circumstances.
When exercising with the sniffles, it’s important to stick to low- or moderate-intensity exercise for up to 30 to 45 minutes. This might mean taking a walk, a simple weightlifting workout, or yoga.
This type of exercise may even be beneficial. Studies looking at various immune and inflammatory markers have found that low-to-moderate intensity exercise activates some immune system cells. When you engage in low-to-moderate intensity exercise, you develop a stronger immune response to infection.
If you do choose to exercise while sick, it’s also important to consider the environment in which you’re exercising.You don’t want to be next to someone in the gym who sneezes a lot, right?
Therefore, to avoid spreading pain, it can be helpful to avoid going to the gym or group fitness classes when you’re not feeling well. Use this time to take an online yoga class from your living room or take a quiet walk in nature.
Do not work out if you have a fever, body aches, a bad cough, or are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting.
If you have a fever, it’s a sign that your body is reacting to the infection and it’s using the extra energy to fight the infection…in which case, don’t exercise.
The idea that “sweating” can reduce a fever is a dangerous myth. It increases the risk of dehydration… When you have a fever, your muscles aren’t as strong, so that’s a good reason to put off exercising.
Additionally, if you have body pain, you should not exercise because your body is already in a compromised state from an energy and metabolic standpoint.
If you are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, you may be dehydrated due to these symptoms. So exercising in these situations is not recommended because if you’re dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea and then you exercise, you’re going to be even more dehydrated… you might pass out, you might have other serious health consequences.
Finally, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and severe coughing are also red flags during exercise. If your cough is severe, it may be difficult to take deep breaths, and it may be worse during exercise than at rest.
No matter your symptoms, avoid high-intensity exercise and endurance work.
If you do very hard sprints, if you exercise for more than 60 minutes, stress hormones start to work their way through your body, which actually suppresses your immune system. We don’t recommend high-intensity, prolonged endurance exercise, as this may actually suppress your immune system and may make your illness last longer.
Listen to your body. If you don’t feel up for exercise, don’t force yourself.
Fitness trackers, apps, and influencers can be the culprits of exercise stress, making you believe you’re not working out hard enough or don’t deserve a much-needed rest day. But don’t let that feeling force you to exercise when you’re not up to it.
Regardless of specific symptoms, it is important that people are able to give themselves compassion and permission to rest when needed.
In some cases, exercising is okay, but if you just aren’t in the mood to exercise, that’s totally fine. Many people feel more tired than usual when battling an illness—and who wants to exercise when they’re tired?
There’s no way you can “sweat” your way out of a cold or flu, so to speak, and in some cases, it can be dangerous to try. So, remove yourself from exercise and focus on getting better.