Sore throat should i exercise

How to Eat Like Chris Hemsworth. For the first time ever, you've been sticking to a consistent workout routine. If Your Symptoms Are Above the Neck For symptoms isolated above the neck — think the congestion, sore throat, or sneezing of a common cold — you can continue light or moderate activity. If Your Symptoms Are Below the Neck If your symptoms are below the neck — coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea — or system-wide, like fever or joint aches — you should flat-out skip your workout.

These symptoms can point to a more serious infection. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.

You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. More From Health. What Feels Great and Prevents Colds? When you have a sore throat. A sore throat may be just that, but it could be the sign of a bacterial strep infection. And since vigorous activity has been shown to reduce immunity, there's a chance that the infection could spread further down the respiratory tract.

Take it easy and exercise moderately. When you are tired. Determine if your fatigue is due to mental or physical reasons. Because if you're mentally tired, exercise may be just what you need to invigorate you. Sometimes, simply showing up and exercising at a lower level will help. Just be sure to remain alert and pay attention so you avoid unnecessary injuries. When you have a cold but no fever; with symptoms "above the neck" runny or stuffy nose, sneezing or sore throat without a persistent or hacking cough.

Research shows that you can put as much effort into a workout when you have a cold as when you are healthy, and that moderate exercise during a rhinovirus-caused cold does not appear to affect symptom severity or duration.

Consider exercise as medicine: Moderate exercise during the sniffles may actually help you feel better by temporarily relieving nasal congestion. Skip to main content Skip to footer.

ZeroPoint Foods. Success Stories. Not every workout needs to be intense to be beneficial. High-intensity exercise may add unnecessary stress to your immune system, so it's wise to stay away when you're dealing with a sore throat.

High-intensity exercise includes endurance activities, heavy weightlifting and competitions. Slowing down or reducing the duration of your exercise routine are also easy ways to decrease the intensity of a workout, and doing so can ensure your safety, per the Mayo Clinic. If you overdo it, you may put yourself at risk for injury or feeling even sicker. Whether you can exercise if you have a cold should, in part, depend on how you're feeling. If your body is exhausted and you're feeling run down, you should probably take these symptoms as a sign to rest.

The Mayo Clinic says to let your body be your guide. If you're feeling off, know that a few days away from the gym won't affect your physical fitness in the long-term; if anything, the break will let your body recover faster. Once you're feeling an improvement in your health, gradually ease back in to your exercise routine. Most people recover from colds within seven to 10 days, per the CDC. Even if you're up for a workout, hitting the gym when you're contagious is inconsiderate and dangerous to those around you.

So if you're considering going to your favorite fitness studio or the gym when a sore throat is persistent, examine your other symptoms first. Respiratory infections, like the flu and common cold , are mostly spread through aerosolized droplets.