Cold and flu season is back in the U.S. and doctors are warning Americans to avoid making a common health mistake if they get sick — maintaining their workout routines.
Exercise may be a great way to boost the immune system before infection — but a quick run or trip to the gym can actually make stuffy symptoms even worse and actually prolong illness, experts say.
Physical activity can also raise your body’s internal temperature, which is dangerous if you have a fever and even lead to organ malfunction. It can also use up energy the body needs to keep the immune system strong — and sweating can leave you dehydrated, causing dizziness and chills.
That’s why listening to your body before lacing up those sneakers makes all the difference, said Dr. Donald Brown, an internal medicine hospitalist at Houston Methodist.
“The general rule of thumb for exercising while sick is that if your symptoms are above the neck, you can likely continue with your routine — but at a lower intensity and shorter timeframe,” he said.
Symptoms that are below the neck — such as a hacking cough or upset stomach — could indicate a more serious infection, according to the American Lung Association.
Symptoms above the neck are a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and a minor sore throat, the Mayo Clinic says.
“If you have a serious respiratory illness, you’re going to have trouble breathing to begin with. Even if it’s just a cough, something is happening that’s hurting your lungs,” Dr. Brian Labus an infectious disease epidemiologist and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Parade.
“Working out on top of that can be very taxing on the body and make it harder to recover from the illness.”
But mild or moderate physical activity is usually safe if you have a common cold and it could even relieve congestion by opening up the nasal passages.
You might feel more fatigued than normal, but low-impact exercise for shorter periods of time is considered to be alright.
Those exercises include walking, light jogging and yoga done for a period of around 30 minutes.
“Listen to your body, if you feel like you can’t handle it, take a break and allow the body to rest and heal,” Traci Gonzales, a nurse practitioner at UTHealth, said. “Whether you decide to rest or work out, make sure you hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!”
“Also, be mindful of spreading your germs if you decide to work out in an area with other people. Cold and flu viruses are highly contagious and easily spread,” she advised.
Experts say that this month is the ideal time to get flu and other vaccines that protect against severe illness.
Last year was the country’s worst flu season in 15 years, with 82 million flu cases from October to mid-May.
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