Last week I came down with a cold, and had to ask myself whether or not to go to the gym. It’s not an easy decision. However, I went to the gym anyways and had a “light” workout. It wasn’t easy, because of how lazy I felt; but I did notice that I was felt a little better.
No matter what type of exercise you’re doing, (jogging, weight lifting, biking…) I would recommend exercising if you’re feeling sick. Two reasons: circulation, and stress relief. Exercise has been proven to relive stress, and being sick is puts a lot of stress on your body. That being said; a little stress relief can definitely help you out a lot on your road to recovery. Next, is circulation. When you’re exercising, you’ve probably noticed your heart rate increases; pumping blood through your body as it needs it. This is good for sickness because it can “jump-start” your body from lying on the couch all day.
Now don’t go thinking that an intense workout will make your cold go away. It will make you “feel better” but it won’t make your symptoms go away. Keep the intensity low as well, because you’re still sick – you don’t have that kind of energy. Lastly, only consider exercise if you have cold symptoms. Don’t go to the gym with diarrhea, a fever, or vomiting.