You Asked: Is It OK to Exercise When I’m Sick?

Exercise is great for prevention, but is it lousy for therapy?

Experts agree, your immune system needs exercise to do its job better. Every time you exercise, you increase the circulation of important immune cells in your body, which fight infection and illness. But should you exercise when you’re sick? Let’s find out! 

Can I Exercise With a Fever? 

Have you heard the old wives’ tale, “If you have a fever, just sweat it out?” You might want to rethink that! 

If you’re suffering from a fever, your body is working in overdrive trying to fight the infection. Exercise places physical stress on the body that makes the immune system’s job even more challenging. 

Evidence suggests that intense forms of exercise—CrossFit, running long distances, HIIT—can briefly suppress your immune function. But overall, exercise is a great way to shield yourself from illness. However, once you’re feeling under the weather, it’s a different story. 

Can I Exercise With the Flu?

The consequences of exercising when you’re ill may have some dire consequences. 

Worst case scenario? 

According to research, people who continue to exercise when they’re suffering from the flu may develop chronic fatigue syndrome, a disorder characterized by extreme tiredness that could last for many months. 

Working out when sick reduces the number of infection-fighting white blood cells in your body. At the same time, your stress hormone cortisol rises, which interferes with your immune cells’ ability to fight infection. 

The bottom line: If you have the flu, exercise is a bad idea. 

What about post-flu workouts? 

Health experts agree, after recovering from the flu, wait at least a full week before easing yourself back into exercise. Start with light walking or jogging and progress to more moderate workouts as the week progresses. 

At the 2-week mark post-flu, you can return to your normal training intensity, but only if you’re feeling up for it. And if you ever catch yourself thinking you can push through it to feel better, don’t—it’s not worth it. 

Can I Exercise With a Sore Throat? 

Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are above the neck—runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and a minor sore throat. If you’re suffering from any of these symptoms, consider reducing the intensity and length of your workout. 

But if any of your symptoms are below the neck—upset stomach, hacking cough or chest congestion, don’t exercise. 

Can I Exercise With an Upset Stomach?

Nausea and diarrhea are two great reasons to skip on exercise—not that you’d really feel up for it, anyway. When you’re throwing up or have diarrhea, your body becomes dehydrated. Exercising during this time accelerates dehydration. 

Luckily, most stomach bugs don’t last more than a day or two. So, you can get back to your regular workout routine relatively quickly. Just be sure to drink plenty of fluids to replenish the ones you lost when sick. 

Takeaway

Like a broken bone or sprained ligament, your body needs time to rest and fully heal after being sick. This way, you can stand up to the rigors of exercise without breaking your body down. 

Looking for ways to boost your immune system? Start your 7-day free trial with Gymondo today and explore 500+ immunity-boosting workouts. 

(Do you like this article?)

Loading...