Does sickness require a gym rest day?
Despite feeling under the weather, you may still be tempted to do a workout. However, deciding whether to exercise while sick requires careful consideration of your symptoms.
Engaging in physical activity can have both positive and negative effects on your recovery, depending on the nature and severity of your illness.
“While physical activity is important for overall health, it’s best to proceed with caution,” says Dr. Amanda Mroczek, a family medicine physician at Advocate Health Care. “If your symptoms are mild, doing yoga at home or taking a walk around your neighborhood might help you feel better.”
Know your symptoms
Health experts often use the “above the neck” rule to guide decisions about exercising while sick.
“The general rule is if your symptoms are above the neck, you can continue with your routine,” Dr. Mroczek explains. “However, keep your workouts low intensity, shorter in duration and listen to your body. If you don’t feel up to working out, don’t.”
Typically, you are fine to exercise if your symptoms include:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Nasal congestion
- Light or mild headache
- Mild sore throat
- Sneezing
In fact, such activity might even offer some relief by opening nasal passages and temporarily alleviating congestion. Options like walking, yoga, or a short, low-impact workout — light swimming, cycling, rowing, jogging, bodyweight movements — can help get your blood flowing without the risk of overworking your body.
When to avoid exercise
Symptoms “below the neck” are strong indicators you should rest and avoid physical exertion.
Certain symptoms and conditions that necessitate complete rest include:
- Fever: A fever signifies that your body is actively fighting an infection. Exercising with a fever can elevate your internal body temperature even more, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and other complications. Not to mention, it could potentially make others around you ill since it likely means you are contagious.
- Flu symptoms: Influenza often brings fever, body aches and fatigue. It’s best to rest until these symptoms go away.
- COVID: Given the potential for severe respiratory symptoms and the risk of transmission, avoid exercise and follow COVID guidelines.
- Gastrointestinal issues: Symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea can lead to dehydration.
Engaging in exercise with these symptoms can stress your body further, potentially keeping you sick longer or leading to more serious health issues.
Prevent illness through regular exercise
Regular exercise when you are healthy is known to boost the immune system, potentially reducing the risk of infections, like the common cold. This includes engaging in activities such as walking, cycling or swimming for about 30 minutes most days of the week.
However, it’s important to note that excessive, high-intensity exercise without adequate rest can have the opposite effect, temporarily suppressing immune function and increasing susceptibility to illness.
Always listen to your body, and when in doubt, consult with your health care provider before resuming or continuing your exercise regimen during illness.
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