Including adequate amounts of exercise into your weekly routine plays an important role in keeping you healthy and holding off disease. However, when you're feeling sick, especially if you have flu symptoms, taking part in your regular exercise routine may do more harm than good for you and others exposed to your illness.
Flu or a Cold
Before deciding whether or not to continue your exercise program while you're sick, it's first important to determine whether you have a cold or the flu. The common cold manifests itself with signs and symptoms that reside above the neck, namely congestion, stuffy or runny nose, headache, sneezing and sore throat. While the flu can share some of these symptoms, the majority of flu symptoms occur below the neck, such as chest congestion, upset stomach, muscle aches and a temperature above 100. If you have the flu, you should not be exercising, suggests Dr. Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. from the Mayo Clinic.
Exercise and Energy Use
One of the main reasons you should not be exercising while dealing with the flu is the amount of energy that is required to exercise. When you exercise, your muscles use up energy quite rapidly, making less energy available to the immune system to fight off the flu. With less energy to work, the immune system does not work as efficiently, which can increase how long it takes for your body to get better. Resting opens up energy to fight off the flu, helping you feel better faster.
Exercise Effects on Flu Symptoms
Exercise can also affect how serious you feel the symptoms of the flu. For example, when your body has a fever, the heart has to work extra hard to pump blood to the outer layers of your skin in order to cool itself down through heat dissipation. When you exercise, you increase the work on the heart even further and raise your body temperature, which can push a fever higher.
Exercise and Prevention of the Flu
While exercising during the flu is not recommended, exercise before you get the flu may be beneficial toward preventing the sickness from occurring in the first place. When you exercise, you encourage disease fighting white blood cells from the immune system to move from your organs into your bloodstream, according to MedlinePlus, which increases your body's ability to fight off diseases like the flu before it can get a foothold. Exercise after you are sick may increase the intensity of flu symptoms, such as your upset stomach, achy muscles or headache.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Is It OK to Exercise If I Have a Cold But No Fever?; Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cold Versus Flu
- MedlinePlus: Exercise - Colds and Flu
- Dr.Mirkin.com; Exercise with Flu or a Cold; Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
- Reuters: Regular Exercise May Help Battle the Flu; Reuters Health; Oct 23, 2009
