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1. 9/3/2018 Should I work out when I’m sick? | Popular Science
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Should I work out when I’m sick?
Depends on the intensity.
By WHITSON GORDON MAY 21, 2018
You know it the moment you wake up: Last night’s little throat tickle has turned into a full-blown
sneezy, nose-dripping, red-eye cold. You had plans to work out today, but would keeping them make
your illness worse? In other words, should you stick with your exercise routine or indulge in some
rest? Here are a few guidelines to help you decide.
Follow the “above the neck” rule
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Exercising while you’re sick will not necessarily hurt your immune system. In fact, if you work out
regularly, then you’ve almost certainly done so while your body was fighting off an illness.
"Up to half of rhinovirus infections are asymptomatic, so you never feel sick,” says Bruce Barrett, a
professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Similarly, 10 or 20
percent of influenza infections won’t have any symptoms. It’s very likely that you’ve hit the gym while
sick, and you didn’t even know it. So just because you can work out...should you?
Even that issue defies an easy yes-or-no solution. "Nobody has really done the type of study that
would be required to answer that question definitively," says Bruce Barrett, a professor at the
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Still, doctors have a pretty consistent
set of recommendations.
Michael Gleeson, a professor of exercise biochemistry in Loughborough University’s School of Sport,
Exercise and Health Sciences lays it out: “The general rule is that it is okay to train moderately if
your symptoms are above the neck—that is, a runny nose or sore throat. But if you have symptoms
below the neck, such as coughing, a tight chest, or joint aches and pains, it is best to avoid all but
the lightest exercise until at least two days after your symptoms have improved.”
And you should never exercise when you have a high fever, Gleeson says, so check your
temperature before you hit the treadmill. If it’s 102°F or higher, stay home.
When you’re sick, lower the intensity
So if you’re just dealing with a little nasal congestion, you can exercise—but you should still ease off
the fervor. We don’t know exactly how exercise during a cold can affect you, but studies from
Gleeson and other researchers suggest that intense exercise when healthy can increase your risk of
getting sick. “People seem to have a higher rate of getting sick from a viral respiratory illness after a
major physiological stress, including long-distance running or other long-distance aerobic exercise,”
says Barrett. “There's something about overworking the body that can dampen the immune system
and increase the chance of getting a bug.” Researchers are still testing this theory, but it means you
should scale back on the intensity of your workout when you’re sick.
While you struggle with an illness, your immune system releases cytokines, small proteins that
regulate its response to an infection—but also make you feel tired and lethargic. During this time,
Gleeson says, “Training will generally feel harder and fatigue will begin earlier. So stick to light to
moderate training and avoid the high-intensity workouts. Moderate aerobic or strength training is
okay, but do less than normal."
When you’re healthy, exercise regularly
Even though intense workouts can increase your risk of illness, that doesn’t mean you should
abandon your exercise routine once you feel better. Both doctors stressed that working out can help
stave off the next summer cold heading your way. “People who exercise regularly have fewer cold
and flu infections, and research suggests that they have shorter and less severe episodes than
those who don't,” says Barrett. “So exercise is good.” In addition to physical health, Barrett’s work
has also found that good mental and social health correlate with a lower risk of respiratory infections.
Barrett recommends everyone aim to spend at least 150 minutes per week doing moderate,
sustained exercise. But it’s easy to let an illness derail your entire regimen. Will keeping up the
consistency—even at a lower intensity—while you’re sick help you maintain your routine after you
recover? If so, that’s a great reason to keep working out.

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