Should I Exercise If I’m Sick?
As cold and flu season is upon us and we make choices regarding keeping ourselves healthy and safe during this crazy COVID pandemic’s dramatic increase in cases, take a look into what moving your body this winter will do for your immune system. Let’s start with the answer to the question, will exercise help a cold? YES! There are numerous reasons why and how exercising will help if you have a cold, and it will help to keep you from catching a cold too. Even being outside in cold weather has benefits for us to explore. C’mon Dora, vamanos!
What does exercise do for you around the cold and flu season?
Overall fitness boosts the body’s immunity. With an increased fitness level, your body’s systems that protect you and fight against disease and infection are working properly to keep you safe. It’s kind of like a car that gets regular tune ups and has all the fluids and parts it needs that work well, it runs better.
Moderate exercise can decrease the number of colds you contract in the winter months. One study followed women who walked one half hour every day for a year, and their number of colds contracted was one HALF compared to the non-walkers. Get to stepping, girl!
Exercising increases white blood cells. These are the cells that fight against infections. Another study showed that a group of regular exercisers over age 65 had the T-cell (a type of white blood cell) count close to that of an average 30 year old. Go Granny! Tell righty and lefty to keep truckin’.
It is important to note that if you decide to exercise while you have a cold, you should pay extra attention to your body and what it’s telling you. And then to LISTEN to what your body says. Too much exercise can put additional stress on the immune system, therefore making you more susceptible to a cold. Lack of recovery time from periods of strenuous exercise can lead to an increased chance of getting the flu. If your body is put through too strenuous of an exercise plan, without adequate rest your white blood cells may actually decrease, leading to a compromised immune system.
Make sure to STOP exercising if….
You experience MORE congestion while exercising. Stop.
You have coughing/wheezing while exercising. Stop. And if you can cough and exercise, wow.
You feel tightness or pressure in your chest. Stop. See a doctor.
You feel dizzy or lightheaded. Stop. No one needs a cracked skull.
You are off balance. Stop. No one needs a broken wrist.
And possibly consult a physician with any of these symptoms if they persist.
Let’s run through a few of the BENEFITS of getting outside and moving in the cold weather! YAY!
You burn more calories as your body attempts to regulate its temperature in the cold. This varies depending on bodyweight and mass, but inevitably, any sized person will burn more calories in the cold.
You get a dose of Vitamin D being out in the sunshine (but you probably still want to supplement as the sun’s rays are not strong enough in the winter to give you a dose high enough to keep you healthy) is a little extra boost.
Your heart will strengthen. As your heart has to work harder in the colder temps to pump the blood throughout the body, it will get stronger.
You will feel energized and happier! Being outside AND exercising is a great mood booster. You’ll feel those endorphins, vitamin D and oxygen from nature, and be unstoppable!
As mentioned earlier, you will BOOST your immune system. Just beat it cold and flu germs!
You will boost your metabolism. As your body is adjusting to the elements, your metabolism will kick into high gear! Doesn’t a hearty bowl of stew sound most appetizing after a romp in the snow?
Please! Do not forget how important it is to properly warm up and cool down as you move your body in the colder temps. Remember to properly warm up (preferably inside, say with light stretching some jumping jacks, maybe 15-20 burpees before heading out) and a nice long cool down (some gentle stretching as soon as you are back inside.) Let’s not get too anxious about this outdoor activity and pull a hammy!
Now, with all these benefits, even if you have a cold, get outside and go for a walk or light jog. I know smiling is probably your favorite, but make exercising outside in the winter your favorite too! It’s magically delicious!! Oh wait, no, it DOES A BODY GOOOOOD.
