Should You Exercise When You Are Sick?

It depends on what kind of sickness you have. If you have a mild sore throat, sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, it is probably okay to exercise. Moderate workouts may even help you feel better because exercise can temporarily relieve nasal congestion.

However, if you have any kind of chest tightness or congestion, shortness of breath, persistent cough, or an upset stomach — you should postpone exercise workouts. You shouldn’t exercise if you have a fever, fatigue, body or muscle aches that are not related to previous activity – for example, you may be experiencing muscle aches because you did 100 sit-ups the night before after weeks of being sedentary. The pain you are experiencing is probably not related to flu/cold symptoms and it is okay to exercise moderately.

The rule of thumb for working out is to use common sense. If you are feeling under the weather but still want to exercise, lessen the intensity of your workout. If you feel worse at any point during the workout, stop and rest.

Just don’t use “sickness” as an excuse to avoid exercising. Many times people feel better emotionally, psychologically and physically by taking the time to engage in moderate workouts. If we pay attention to our bodies, strengthen our immune systems through consistent exercise programs and practice good dietary habits, we may be able to lessen the chances of getting sick in the first place.