Advice on Doing Yoga When You re Sick

Advice on Doing Yoga When You re Sick

Advice on Doing Yoga When You're Sick Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Yoga Beginners Advice on Doing Yoga When You're Sick By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 03, 2020 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Kristin McGee, CPT Reviewed by Kristin McGee, CPT Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer and currently teaches yoga and meditation for Peloton. She is also certified in Pilates and by the National Association of Sports Medicine. Learn about our Review Board Print Vlad Dmytrenko / Getty Images Exercise is good for our physical and mental health, and even for our immune system when done at moderate intensity. But that doesn't mean you should drag yourself out of bed and to the yoga studio when you don't feel well. There are really two issues: First, should you practice yoga when you are sick? Second, should you even go to a yoga class when you are sick? Yoga When You Have a Cold A consistent practice—three or more times a week—is the key to enjoying all the benefits of yoga. But when it comes to illness, even minor things like colds and coughs, it's best to take the long view. When you're sick, your body needs to rest and heal. Taking a few days off from asana when you aren't well is not going to affect your path to enlightenment or even your path to a stronger core. (Of course, if your symptoms persist beyond the normal lifespan of a cold, you should probably see your healthcare provider.) Many Americans have been conditioned to think that illness is an indication of weakness and that the admirable thing to do is to push through as if nothing is wrong. Yoga shows us another way by teaching us to prioritize how we feel in our bodies. Let that be your guiding principle. When you're ill, rest. As you start to feel better, especially if your symptoms are above the neck only (sneezing, congestion), it's fine to get out your mat at home for a bit of gentle movement. Something like this daily stretch routine would be appropriate. When It's OK to Exercise If You're Sick Attending Yoga Class With a Cold Going to class when sick is different from practicing at home. It's just not fair to your teacher and fellow practitioners. Keep yourself away from others when you have a cough and cold symptoms. That goes double for all-over or below-the-neck symptoms, such as fever or vomiting. As you begin to feel better, consider: Would you attend a friend's birthday party in your current condition? Go out on a date? Play tennis? If the answer is yes, then it's probably OK to go to yoga class too. Generally speaking, you should return to class when you are feeling better, can go 90 minutes without needing a tissue, and are no longer contagious. If you're still a little congested, inversions may be uncomfortable, and you may need to elevate your head and neck with a bolster during savasana. Always modify your practice to make it work for what your body needs. A restorative class can be a good way to ease yourself back into your yoga practice and strengthen your immune system. 5 Important Reasons to Skip Your Workout 4 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Zamani A, Salehi I, Alahgholi-Hajibehzad M. Moderate exercise enhances the production of interferon-γ and interleukin-12 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Immune Netw. 2017;17(3):186-191. doi:10.4110/in.2017.17.3.186 Meissner M, Cantell MH, Steiner R, Sanchez X. Evaluating emotional well-being after a short-term traditional yoga practice approach in yoga practitioners with an existing western-type yoga practice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:7216982. doi:10.1155/2016/7216982 Thielmann A, Gerasimovska-Kitanovska B, Buczkowski K, et al. Self-care for common colds by primary care patients: A European multicenter survey on the prevalence and patterns of practices-The COCO Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:6949202. doi:10.1155/2016/6949202 Simpson RJ, Kunz H, Agha N, Graff R. Exercise and the regulation of immune functions. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2015;135:355-80. doi:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.08.001. Additional Reading Ross A, Friedmann E, Bevans M, Thomas S. Frequency of yoga practice predicts health: results of a national survey of yoga practitioners. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:983258. doi:10.1155/2012/983258 By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles The Best Yoga Clothes of 2022 for Any Kind of Practice Is It Okay to Run When I Have a Cold? Should You Exercise When You Are Sick? Burdock Root Tea Benefits and Side Effects What to Expect From a Hatha Yoga Class The 8 Best Yoga Retreats of 2022 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners The Effect of Exercise on Upper Respiratory Infections The 6 Best Yoga Teacher Training Programs of 2022 Best Online Yoga Classes of 2022 10 Natural Remedies to Relieve Nausea Is It Okay to Take a Week Off From Running? How to Start Yoga When You're Bigger Bodied Got the Flu? These Cough, Cold, and Flu Medications are Gluten-Free Comfort Food: What It Is and Why It Works What Your Brain Is Thinking When You're Hangry When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All
Share:
0 comments

Comments (0)

Leave a Comment

Minimum 10 characters required

* All fields are required. Comments are moderated before appearing.

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!