Can You Exercise With a Cold, or Is Rest Better?

Few things are as frustrating as catching a cold just as a new exercise habit starts to stick. You have been walking every morning or going to a weekly class, and now your nose is streaming and your head feels full of cotton wool. Should you keep going so the routine does not slip, or rest until you feel better? There is no single rule, but there is a sensible way to think it through.

Is it ever fine to exercise with a cold?

Many people find that light activity is fine when their symptoms are mild and mostly in the head: a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, or a slightly scratchy throat. A gentle walk in fresh air can even feel pleasant. The key word is gentle. This is not the day for a personal best, a long run or a hard interval session. Keep the effort low enough that you could chat comfortably, and treat the session as a way to stay loose rather than a workout.

When is rest the better choice?

A common rule of thumb looks at where your symptoms are. If they are above the neck and mild, light movement may be okay. If they reach below the neck, or affect your whole body, rest is the wiser option. Signs that point towards rest include:

• a fever, or feeling hot and shivery
• aching muscles and joints all over
• a chesty cough or tightness in the chest
• feeling unusually tired, weak or dizzy
• an upset stomach, sickness or diarrhoea

Exercising hard while your body is fighting an infection like this is more likely to make you feel worse and can delay recovery. Taking a few days off will not undo the progress you have made.

What should I do instead on sick days?

Rest does not have to mean doing nothing at all. If you feel up to it, a few slow stretches, a short stroll around the garden or some easy mobility moves can stop you feeling stiff from lying around. Otherwise, let the routine pause. Sleep, regular drinks and simple meals do more for you on these days than any exercise could. A pharmacist can suggest suitable remedies for cold symptoms, and it is worth asking them first if you already take other medicines or have a long-term condition.

What about other people?

Colds spread easily. If you normally exercise in a gym, a class or a shared changing room, staying home while you are sneezing and coughing is kind to everyone else. If you do go, wipe down equipment and keep tissues handy.

How do I ease back in afterwards?

1. Wait until you feel properly better. Being able to manage your normal day without feeling wiped out is a good sign.
2. Start below your usual level. A shorter, easier version of your normal session is plenty for the first few outings.
3. Notice how you feel afterwards. Pleasantly tired is fine. Exhausted, achy or back in bed is a sign to slow down again.
4. Build back over a week or two. Add a little each time rather than jumping straight back to where you were.

Expect to feel a little stiff in the first sessions after a break. Our answer on whether to work out when you are still sore explains how to tell normal aches from pain worth resting.

When should I see a GP?

Most colds clear up on their own within a week or two. Speak to a GP or call your local health advice line if symptoms last longer than you would expect or keep getting worse, if you have a high temperature that will not settle, or if you have a long-term condition such as asthma, diabetes or a heart condition and you are not sure what is safe. Seek urgent help straight away if you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or feel faint, especially during or after activity.

Keeping the habit alive

A few days off for a cold is part of normal life, not a failure. What matters for your health over the months is the habit you come back to, not a single week. If it helps, use the quiet days to think about the bigger picture of rest, including how well you are sleeping; our sleep questions are a good place to start. Then, when you feel well again, lace up and pick up where you left off, a little gentler at first.