Regular exercise has become your mode. Maybe you’re enjoying your favorite class three times a week or you’re killing it at the gym on a daily basis. Then you feel a cold coming on, but you hate to miss a day.
What do you do?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 425 million cold and flu cases annually, and the average person suffers three respiratory infections each year. Common cold and flu symptoms can derail many of us right when our enthusiasm for those New Year’s resolutions begins to fade.
If that’s the case, you should consider the following.
Symptoms: runny nose, dry cough or sneezing
Light to moderate exercise may actually make you feel better. A good approach to take is to cut your exercise routine in half for a few days. If you start to feel worse after your workout, take it easy until you feel better. Use common sense.
Stop exercise and get medical help if you feel chest tightness or pressure, have trouble breathing of get short of breath, feel dizzy or lightheaded or have balance problems
Symptoms: below the neck
If you’re experience the symptoms such as chest congestion, upset stomach, muscle aches, coughing and wheezing, then it’s best to go to the doctor. If you are sick, then he or she might advise you not to go to the gym, as you’ll be contagious for the first five to seven days of a sickness.
Dr. Steve Smith, of Plant City, says that getting plenty of rest, along with extra sleep and fluids will most likely be prescribed to allow your immune system to recover.
“If you have a virus with fever and pain, the best treatment is bed rest,” Smith says. “It is too hard on the body to sweat it out with exercise.”
Under no circumstances should you exercise if a fever is present. Body heat rises during exercise to increase metabolism and, if body temperature is high to start, the body’s temperature regulation is already out of balance.
If you’re taking over-the-counter cold and flu medications, remember that some cold formulas increase heart rate. A combination of exercise and decongestants can cause the heart to pump very hard, which can be dangerous and lead to shortness of breath and other breathing troubles.
On the rebound
Colds typically last a week to 10 days, and recovery from the flu can take longer: up to three weeks. So, don’t go back to 100% the first week: start at 50 to 75% of your normal workout and increase gradually. Going back too soon and too hard can prolong the recovery phase.
A final note: common cold and flu viruses stay on door handles, computer keyboards and cell phones for hours. Touching these objects and then your mouth or nose is the primary route to infection. Wash your hands and objects in your surroundings frequently.
Most gyms increase their cleaning schedules during cold and flu season. But don’t rely on a gym staff’s cleaning for peace of mind: clean what you plan to touch. Professional gyms, like the Plant City Family YMCA, provide cleaning supplies.
Jennifer E. Closshey, Ph.D., is a doctor of integrative holistic health based out of Plant City. She teaches restorative yoga classes at the Plant City Family YMCA on Thursdays.