Recent research has confirmed that exercising regularly decreases your risk of getting a cold. However, once you have a cold, you need to be careful about what kind of exercise you do, as it could make your cold even worse.
“In general, if your symptoms are from the neck up, go ahead and take a walk,” said Dr. David Nieman, an expert on the subject. “But if you have a fever or general aches and pains, rest up and let your body get over the illness.”
Here are some specific DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to exercising while sick:
–DO exercise moderately if your cold symptoms are confined to your head. If you’re dealing with a runny nose or sore throat, moderate exercise is permissible. Intense exercise can be resumed a few days after symptoms subside (in cases of the common cold).
–DON’T “sweat out” your illness. This is a potentially dangerous myth, and there is no data to support that exercise during an illness helps cure it.
–DO stay in bed if your illness is “systemic” ├óΓé¼ΓÇ£ that is, spread beyond your head. Respiratory infections, fever, swollen glands and extreme aches and pains all indicate that you should rest up, not work out.
–DON’T jump back in too soon. If you’re recovering from a more serious bout of cold or flu, gradually ease back into exercise after at least two weeks of rest.
The most important thing is to exercise when you’re NOT sick, as it will help prevent colds in the first place!
[Image via AP Images.]
