Of course, you want to rest your body if that's what you're supposed to do butis that actually going to do anything? Or is it just a lame excuse to take a pass on the gym?
Ultimately, it's a little unclear whether it's fine to work out with a cold, or if you should take a few days off until your sniffle goes away.
Is it okay to work out with a cold?
The answer is yesish, says Jessalyn Adam, MD, attending sports medicine physician at Baltimores Mercy Medical Center. In general, you want to follow the neck rule.
If all of your symptoms are above the neck, youre safe to work out, she says. But if you have symptoms that are below the neck, then you probably shouldnt work out.
Youre okay to hit the gym with:
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Sore throat
Don't work out if you have:
- A cough
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches
- General chest congestion
Whenever I have an athlete that wants to work out, thats the rule we use, Dr. Adam says.
Overall, exercise helps boost your immune system, but it's important to go with how you feel, says Kenton Fibel, MD, a family medicine physician specializing in sports medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. Even if youre just dealing with a head cold, you still shouldnt feel obligated to go to the gym if you feel terrible. In general, listen to your body and how you feel, he says.
Are any exercises better than others when you have a cold?
Just because you can work out doesnt mean you should go all out. This is not the time to go and do your hardest workout, Dr. Adam says. Your body is still fighting an infection. She recommends doing light cardio like a comfortable run, a light stationary bike workout, or a casual session on the elliptical. Dont go for as long as you normally would, she says.
As for strength training, it can be challenging because a lot of times youre already feeling fatigued, Dr. Adam says. If youre congested, its not a good idea to go with heavy weights, but lighter weights should be fine. (Just wipe down the equipment well after you use it to do your fellow gym-goers a solid, Dr. Fibel advises.)
And it doesnt really matter if you work out indoors or outdoors (provided were not talking extreme weather here), Dr. Adam says. However, she points out, if you suffer from allergies on top of having a cold, exercising outside during allergy season could be kind of miserable.
Keep in mind that pushing your body too much-even if you feel like you can take it-can ultimately screw you over. Exercising too hard when youre sick can make it more difficult for your body to fight off the infection and can make it take longer for you to get better, Dr. Fibel says.
What other precautions should you take?
While the neck rule is important to follow, there are some other nuances to consider. If you have a fever, youre feeling really tired, you have nausea, or you have widespread muscle aches, dont work out, Dr. Adam says. Ditto if exercise makes you feel worse.
As for what to wear, there are no magic clothes that will help get rid of your cold during your workout (although theres an idea). Just listen to your body, Dr. Adam says. If youre feeling cold, make sure you have enough layers. Dress appropriately for the weather.
Bottom line: Experts stress that you shouldnt feel obligated to work out if youre sick. But if light exercise will make you feel better, youre perfectly fine to do just that.