Exercising when you’re sick: good or bad idea?

It’s the season: we will all more or less get sick at some point. (otherwise, you are very lucky and I envy you ) It’s too cold outside, too hot inside, people don’t really wash their hands after blowing their nose. We all happily share our microbes. In fact, and I preach for my parish, one of the best ways not to get sick is to have a healthy lifestyle: it boosts the immune system and we get sick less often and less “hard”. I say that ..: p But anyway. “It’s too late” situation: you are sick . Some will take the opportunity to roll around in their bed until it passes, but others will wonder: should I / can I play sports if I am sick? Will this help? Can it make things worse?

I feel like I’m getting sick, is sport over?

NO . The main idea is that you have to know how to listen to your body . Being sick (I will detail the cases later) does not mean “goodbye to sport until further notice”. On the other hand, if you feel that you are better off staying in bed, STAY IN BED. On the other hand, if you feel like it may be okay, moderate exercise can actually do you good, by releasing endorphins and keeping the blood flowing.

In general, if you want to play sport anyway, halve the intensity of your training (in time, in difficulty ..) and prefer gentle cardio. The idea is not to hurt yourself, just to work your body a bit. We forget everything that is very heavy lifting and very fast fitness / aerobics: you will not be effective anyway.

I have a cold, can I exercise?

If you have a runny nose and a bit of a headache, yes you can exercise as mentioned before. Again, it is up to you to judge whether or not you are fit for it. You can try a few minutes to see, and give up if now is not the time: the important thing is to respect your body!

Very personally, the elliptical makes me feel so much better when I have a cold and have a runny nose and not too much energy. It brightens me up and makes me efficient for an hour or two during training – but I don’t force ANYONE to do the same ?

I have a flu or a fever, can I exercise?

NO . Here we are talking about something already difficult for the body to manage, so we abandon the idea of ​​adding to the task.

Besides, you’re contagious, so don’t pass it on to the gym, no but oh! We stay warm at home, get our feet wet, and go back 5 days later.

I have gastro, can I exercise?

RATHER NO . If one has nausea or intestinal problems, one avoids. It’s mostly a matter of comfort: throwing up or whatever during training is not fun, and you’re not productive when your stomach hurts. So we stay quiet.

How long does it take to get back there, if I stop?

Here again, we listen to his body to decide. If it was just temporary, in two days you can feel ready to go back. If it’s the flu, you need more than that, and it’s important to always take care of your health first. That’s no excuse to never go back, eh! Just learn to recognize when your body can work out .. and when it is better to shift a bit.

There you go! Hope this little recap has helped you. In any case, – and here I am giving you a little mum, but it’s because I want you to be well – do not hesitate to go to the doctor if the symptoms last too long or if you have any doubts. on your ability to play sports (some drugs have contraindications, and you better be sure!) Once again, take care of yourself above all, and nothing replaces the advice of a health professional.

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