It sounds like I am losing my voice and I also have a swelling in my neck. I also get cough attacks once in a while but apart from that, I am fine. I think. But should I go to my regular spin class? I go spinning every Tuesday. No, fail. It’s part of my activities which keep me fit and healthy.
Thinking of not doing my usual exercise makes me feel uncomfortable. I hate missing my workouts, especially because most of the day I sit in the office and I am inactive. But if I go to the spin class, will I be doing my body more harm than good? I decide to investigate.
Regular exercise helps to strengthen immune system
One of the positive effects of exercise is that it has a beneficial effect on the immune system. After moderate exercise, the immune system will often be temporarily enhanced and this is because natural killer cells responsible for a strong immune system gets stimulated. However, too much exercise can have the opposite effect so it’s never good to overdo it.
Does this mean you should exercise when you don’t feel your best? It depends.
When exercising is a good idea when you are ill
Whether you should exercise or not when you are sick it really depends on how ill you are and how you feel. There is actually a rule called the ‘neck check’ (1) which is recommended to follow to help you decide whether to exercise or not. Basically, if you have symptoms above the neck (for example symptoms of a common cold) then it’s ok to exercise.
If you have symptoms below the neck, such as bronchitis and stomach pains, then it’s definitely not a good idea to exercise. You should also not exercise if you have a fever, fatigue, and widespread aches. Sometimes your body just needs some rest and you have to accept that. Don’t force your body to exercise when it should be really resting.
According to the rule above, I should really be fine to exercise, but with my throat problems, spinning may not be such a good idea actually. Dry, stuffy air you get in the spin room could actually make things worse. I also think that taking it easy may help my body to heal quicker. So at the end, I decided to skip the spin class and just do some gentle exercises at home instead.
Exercises you can do when feeling unwell
While spinning may exacerbate my throat problems, walking would not, so this is something I can easily do. Walking is also great if you are suffering from other minor symptoms above the neck and ‘may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion’. (2)
Non-cardio workouts such as yoga and pilates are something you could also do when you are not feeling your best. So luckily there are still workouts you can do when unwell, however, sometimes you just need to listen to your body, let your body guide you, and help you decide on the activity to participate in.
If you are still not sure whether you should exercise or not when you are unwell, the best is to talk to your doctor for advice.
Sources
(1) http://www.webmd.boots.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick
(2) http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20058494