Exercise may be beneficial when sick

Exercise may be the last thing a sick person is thinking about, but it may make a cold go away more quickly. Experts use a rule of thumb called the "neck rule." It explains that symptoms located above your neck, like a stuffy nose, headache or scratchy throat, are safe to workout with. If symptoms go below the neck, like chest congestion or body aches, you may have a virus and should rest instead of working out. Low-intensity exercise is the key to working out while under the weather.

Running can loosen up congestion in the head or chest, but you want to make sure you aren't overdoing it. Strenuous exercise can lower your immune system initially, so you need to be careful how hard you push yourself. You should limit yourself to low-intensity cardiovascular. Anything higher puts stress on the body and because the body is not in tip-top shape, it needs to repair itself.