SHOULD YOU EXERCISE WHEN YOU’RE SICK?
It’s that time of year… the seasons are changing… it’s hot one day and cold the next… the holidays have everyone stressed out… AND everyone, it seems, is getting sick!!! If you look around I’m sure you will spot a few stuffy heads and runny noses, maybe even a “good” ole’ case of the flu… YIKES!! So, as you can imagine, the fitness enthusiasts are freaking out about all this yuck in the air. And, I have been asked this question several times lately… “should I work out if I am sick?” I think that’s a great question and I did a little research to back my opinion… Here’s what I think and what research proved…The first thing you should do is assess your symptoms. If your symptoms are above the neck (stuffy, runny nose; scratchy throat; sneezing; itchy eyes) you are OK to exercise. There’s no evidence that mild exercise will worsen your symptoms or prolong your recovery. I would take it a little easy though. Start at a lower intensity than normal and give yourself time to warm up. You will find that if you have a cold, you won’t be as strong. A cold will zap your energy, especially if you’re on medication.If your symptoms are below the neck (fever; vomiting; diarrhea; hacking cough; aching muscles) take a break. Working out in this state can cause dehydration, weakness, and worse case… heat stroke. When you exercise your body produces a lot of heat. If you already have a fever, you’re only raising your temperature higher which is dangerous. It causes your heart to have to work too hard to keep your temperature from raising too much and raises you potential for injury. Give yourself the day off… sit on the couch with a bowl of chicken soup and your favorite movie. Your body will thank you. Oh, and get some sleep!!! A few good nights of rest will do wonders for the immune system!
Ultimately, you have to decide how bad you feel. You’re the best judge when it comes to your own body. If it feels good, go for it, but don’t force yourself. Listen to your body and take care of it. If you are REALLY sick, you should take at least a week off of vigorous exercise. And when you get back on track, take it easy for the first few days. You will have lost some strength, but it will come back fast. Also, training at an intensity that’s too high will compromise your immune system and raise the potential for relapse. And one last thing… eat a well balanced, healthy diet so that your body will have what it needs to repair itself and stay healthy.
This entry was posted on November 27, 2006 at 11:57 am and is filed under Life, Exercise, Wellness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.