Q: Is it OK to exercise when I'm having a cold? I've got a stuffed nose and the occassional sneeze and I'm dying to hit the gym! A: Bird flu season is here, but then again.. that's got nothing to do with you. So, you have a cold, but it doesn't really have to create chaos in your fitness routine. Most people who have a cold should be able to continue exercising as long as they're up for it. I don't know of any evidence that exercising during a cold is bad for you, says Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. Now, isn't that music to your ears? If you suffer from asthma, however, then you may wanna take it easy. The common cold can cause swelling in the airways - couple this with exercise, and the results would not be pleasant at all. If your body aches and you feel feverish and you feel like crawling into bed and hiding underneath your comforter - then listen to what your body is trying to tell you - It's best to rest and recover. As a general rule of thumb - if the symptoms of the cold are only from the neck up (sniffing, sneezing, blocked nose), then it's probably OK to exercise, but stick to mild/moderate activity. If the illness is throughout your body, then it's best to take it easy. |
