Moving around lightly (like walking) with "above the neck" symptoms (runny nose, sneezing) can be okay and even help, but you should rest if you have "below the neck" symptoms (fever, body aches, chest congestion, diarrhea, vomiting) or are feeling very weak, as intense exercise stresses the body, risks injury, prolongs recovery, and can worsen illness, so it's crucial to listen to your body and scale back intensity if you do move.
Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion. As a general guide for exercise and illness, consider this: Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are all "above the neck."
Exercising when sick increases your heart rate, gets your heart pumping and promotes healthy blood flow. It also opens up your lungs and releases endorphins. All of that can help you feel better. If you feel tired sooner than you normally do, it's also okay to scale things back to what you can tolerate.
"The general rule of thumb for exercising while sick is that if your symptoms are above the neck, you can likely continue with your routine — but at a lower intensity and shorter timeframe," explains Dr.
Studies show that people who don't get adequate sleep when fighting an infection take longer to recover and may develop more severe symptoms. Sleeping 7-9 hours might maintain health when you're well, but recovery often requires additional rest throughout the day.
Sleeping More When You're Sick Is *Totally* Normal—And Evidence of Your Immune System in Action. The reason why being sick makes you tired (and why you sleep so much when you're sick) is because your immune system needs sleep to recover.
The 3-2-1 bedtime method is a simple sleep hygiene strategy: stop eating 3 hours before bed, stop working 2 hours before bed, and stop using screens (phones, tablets, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping your body transition to rest by reducing stimulants and digestive load for better sleep quality. A more detailed version adds 10 hours (no caffeine) and 0 (no snoozing) for a 10-3-2-1-0 rule.
Here's a guide to what works and what to avoid. Stay hydrated. Whether its tea, warm water with lemon or broth, drinking warm liquids can be soothing, prevent dehydration and ease congestion. Avoid salty foods, alcohol, coffee and sugary drinks, which can be dehydrating.
Going outside with a cold doesn't worsen the virus, but cold air can amplify symptoms. While outside air is fine, colds are contagious. Limit close contact to prevent spreading it to others. Fresh air is good for a cold, but prioritize rest and hydration.
Rest, stay hydrated, eat plenty of vitamin C-rich foods, supplement zinc, and take painkillers or targeted cold and flu medicines, but never together! Know when to get help.
One recommendation provided often to sick and ill patients is to get bed rest. Patients are often instructed to rest and relax, ideally getting as much sleep as possible and, in the absence of sleep, reducing movement and trying to rest their mind and body.
The 2:2:1 walking rule consists of 2 minutes of brisk walking, 2 minutes of jogging, and 1 minute of normal walking, repeated throughout the workout. This method combines low, moderate, and high-intensity walking, similar to interval training, which is known to boost metabolism and enhance fat burning.
Try these remedies:
Taking precautions when you are sick can help stop the spread of respiratory viruses to others. These actions can help reduce the risk of infecting people who are at higher risk of severe illness.
Your body typically burns more calories when you're sick, especially if you have a fever. That's because being ill can increase your metabolism. Factors like appetite changes, medications you're taking, and how long you're sick can influence how many extra calories you burn while sick.
As a general guide, mild to moderate physical activity is usually fine if you have a common cold. Symptoms of a common cold include a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. If you have a cold, you should consider reducing the intensity or length of your exercise.
Cold remedies that work
Opening a window, stepping outside for a walk, or letting the kids play in the yard isn't just about enjoying nature—it actually helps clear away germs and gives your family's bodies a better chance to stay strong. In the heart of sick season, something as simple as fresh air can make a world of difference.
Although not fully proven, large doses of vitamin C may help reduce how long a cold lasts. Large doses of vitamin C do not protect against getting a cold. Vitamin C may also be helpful for those exposed to brief periods of severe or extreme physical activity.
Chug the OJ ... and 5 other things you shouldn't do when you're sick
Best beverage for a cold: Water mixed with a sports drink.
You can also mix in a vitamin C supplement like Emergen-C. “There's some colloquial evidence that suggests hyper-dosing vitamin C is helpful for the immune system,” says Dr. Sampino.
Bedding, Linens and Towels
Sleeping while sick leaves behind more than germs—saliva, bodily fluids, dead skin cells and more accumulate in your bedding and towels. Wash them thoroughly! Dr. Ilori notes that it's safe to wash these items with other laundry as long as you use hot water and detergent.
The koala is the animal that sleeps approximately 90% of the day (20-22 hours), a necessity due to its low-energy eucalyptus diet requiring intensive digestion, making it the ultimate champion of sleep in the animal kingdom, followed closely by sloths and bats.
Our circadian rhythm functions by light and dark cycles and therefore an ideal sleep time is 10pm – 6am give or take ½ an hour either way so a full 8 hours of sleep is achieved each night. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.