How to Determine If You Are Too Sick to Work Out

Just because you aren't feeling quite up to par doesn’t mean that you have to skip exercise completely. Depending on your symptoms, you might have to modify the duration and intensity of your workout for a few days. After all, you don’t want to be doing your body more harm than good. Once you get feeling better, you can return to your normal exercise routine. Here are some practical guidelines for exercising when you are sick.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Slow down if you have above-the-neck symptoms like a scratchy throat or runny nose. It’s probably safe to workout, but you should cut back, as you don’t want to overdo it when you have a cold. Your body needs plenty of rest in order to repair itself.
2. Skip the workout if you suffer below-the-neck symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, achy muscles, fever, chills, or coughing. Exercise can drain you of energy that your body needs to recover, and you could end up even sicker. The stress of rigorous exercise when you have the flu can make your temperature climb higher as well.
3. Stay in bed if your temperature is 100.5 or more. Slowing down the pace for a day or two won’t hurt. Although research shows that regular exercise helps to boost the immune system, overloading the body when you are sick actually can suppress the immune response, taking you longer to recuperate from illness.
4. Drink plenty of fluids. Even if you aren’t running a fever, exercise puts you at risk for dehydration. For cold or flu symptoms, you need to drink at least two quarts of fluids throughout the day, increasing your intake to three quarts if you are running a fever. Remember, your body temperature rises as you lose water.
5. Listen to your body. It may be signaling that you aren’t getting enough rest. Taking a day or two off from your exercise regimen won’t hurt. However, if your symptoms aren’t too serious, and you still want to exercise, it should be okay as long as you slow down and use common sense.

Tips & Warnings

• If you take a break from exercise for a couple of days when you are feeling sick, only exercise half your usual time, as you start to work out again. Becoming easily fatigued may be a sign that you are not fully recovered and may be resuming exercise too soon.
• A stuffy nose can increase heart rate during exercise.