Should You Exercise When You're Sick?

Although you may feel like staying in bed and nursing your cold, sometimes it is perfectly safe, and even recommended to participate in light physical activity when you’re a little under the weather. If you are questioning whether you should exercise, try a little and if it feels good then you’re doing the right thing. If it makes you feel worse, you should stop. If you have a fever, you should definitely not exercise. Your body temperature is already elevated and you don’t want to raise it further. The rule of thumb recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and The American College of Sports Medicine is to do a neck check. If you are experiencing symptoms above the neck such as sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, and watery eyes, then it is safe to exercise. Start slowly and keep tissues nearby! For me, this is a great way to help flush out some of these symptoms and help to clear me up. Conversely, if your symptoms are below the neck, such as deep coughing, body aches, fever, stomach or intestinal problems, then you should forego any exercise until these symptoms subside. Overall, just follow your instincts. If you are used to high intensity workouts, switch it up and try something a little less vigorous. Gentle yoga or stretching may be just what you need on a day like this to help relieve some aches and pains.