Does exercise make you sick?

[intensitylisa]

;( Hello all! I am just getting over a sinus infection (had one 3 months ago which was bacterial). My family is trying to tell me I get sick because I exercise too much. I do not think exercising 1 hour a day (sometimes 2 times a day on the weekend) is too much. I also do not think exercising is causing my infections. What do you think?

 

[RhiannonW]

My humble opinion is exercise is NOT making you sick. I've had people tell me that before and it was their feeble, manipulative attempt to get me to cut back/cut out exercising. They were jealous of my motivation and discipline I guess.
If you are sick, but get some extra rest and give yourself a little easier workouts(not necessarily shorter, but not as intense) while you're sick(so as not to wear out your body to the point it can't recover)you're doing well. My thought is you wouldn't recover any quicker than if you weren't working out at all. And you wouldn't NOT get sick if you weren't either.

 

[betho]

Hi There,

Sounds like your family is just worried about you. I don't think my workouts make me sick, but I really have to listen to my body - if I'm tired for some reason, my weights have to be lighter, or my cardio less intense. I also know that if I don't have a rest day every 7-10 days, I get tired. When I get tired my immune system seems to plummet and I end up getting sick. Just pay close attention to your body, and don't be afraid to rest when/if you need to - your body will appreciate it more in the long run. Just my 2 cents,

Beth

 

[lorihart]

I wouldn't think that exercise would be making you sick either...but if you put exercise in place of sleep then that could be the problem.
You need sleep as much as you need exercise.Sleep is when our body recoveries and relaxes.
Just say I went for a run around 9p.m, by the time I get to bed it will probably 11-12p.m. But then I may have to get up early in the morning to fit my exercise in for that day.I may only end up with 5 hours of sleep.And we all know that we need more then that.Not saying that you are doing this, but if you are it could be where your problem lies.
Lori

 

[dutchgirl]

I am prone to sinus infections because I have very deep sinus cavities. Inevitably if I come down with a cold or flu I will get a sinus infection as well. If you are getting sinus infections frequently you may want to talk with your physician about the cause and to see if something like a prescription nasal spray would be for you. I have a spray that I take at the first sign of a cold or flu to avoid getting sinus infections and it helps me a lot.

I also agree with everyone about modifying your exercise schedule and routine when you are sick. When your body is fighting off an infection it needs all the resources available to do its' job. If too many of those resources are being spent on exercise, you're recovery could be delayed or worse, a simple infection could really take hold and turn into something more serious (I only know this from experience, sigh). So if you want to exercise then do some moderate cardio or moderate weights and if you feel really lousy, then give your body some rest days. In the end I think your body would appreciate.

As far as exercise making anyone sick, that sounds a bit farfetched.

Just my two cents,
Sabine

 

[Gayle]

Hi Intensitylisa,

Exercise does not make a person sick, but overtraining can lower a person's resistance to common illnesses, like colds.

As Lori suggested, make sure you're getting enough sleep. Also make sure you're getting frequent enough recovery periods. The body needs it.

Take care.

 

[kristi]

From numerous exercise magazines I have read over the years, studies have shown that people who exercise on a continuous basis get sick less frequently than non-exercisers. However, if you overtrain or don't get enough sleep then your immune system might not be able to fight off virus and germs as effectively as it normally would.

Sometimes family and friends may try to sabotage your exercising habits. In some instances, subconsiously they are not aware they are doing this. In others they are envious of the motivation you have for exercising and how you are trying to keep fit and healthy. Good luck and get plenty of rest and eat well.

 

[intensitylisa]

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions. I have always been prone to sinus infections (since high school). I just wish I knew how to prevent them. The nasal spray sounds like a good idea! I don't know if I have allergies and maybe they trigger the sinus infections. Maybe I could take an over the counter allergy product. I think my family gets jealous as you say, because of my strong committment to exercise. I always get 8 hours of sleep a night, so I do not believe that is the issue. Thanks again gang!

 

[bethmeira]

I think your family members don't know what they are talking about. I know that since I have been working out, my colds do not last as long, nor are they as bad as they have been. I swear my colds don't last longer than 5 days now.

Beth