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Influenza and physical activity
Last reviewed: 03.07.2025
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When you have the flu, you have at least two disadvantages. First, your immune system is very weak, and all its energy is focused on fighting the flu. And second, you are too weak to do intense exercise. So, flu and exercise – what level of exercise is good for you?
Read also: Physical activity during a cold
[ Physical activity and flu prevention
If you are not yet sick with the flu, then physical exercise for prevention will be a great opportunity to improve immunity and strengthen the nervous system. And viruses rarely cling to people with strong nerves and good resistance to diseases. The very possibility of getting the flu is reduced.
As soon as a person starts doing sports, the number of immune system cells that resist diseases increases 2-3 times. Even seemingly innocent walks for half an hour every day reduce the risk of contracting the flu several times. But if you have already contracted the flu, the situation with physical activity changes radically.
What is the danger of physical activity when you have flu or heart disease?
People with chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, should be careful of increased physical activity during the flu. The heart and blood vessels already bear increased load during the flu, and if they work even more during physical exercise, the main apparatus of your body may not withstand it.
In addition, the combination of flu medications and heart medications can put even more stress on the body, so increased stress in the form of physical exercise will be detrimental to it.
Before doing exercises when you have the flu, be sure to consult with your doctor.
Exercise for asthma and flu
If a person with asthma has difficulty breathing, plus he takes anti-asthma and anti-flu drugs, then increased stress in the form of physical exercise can negatively affect the body. Breathing is already difficult with the flu, and during exercise it becomes even more difficult, so physical exercise should be approached with caution and it is imperative to consult a doctor about what it should be.
If you have a severe case of flu, you should avoid physical activity altogether. You should wait at least a few days after recovery before starting to exercise again. A week is ideal.
Physical activity during flu: benefit or harm?
The energy level of a person with the flu can drop significantly. So regardless of whether you suffer from any chronic diseases in addition to the flu or were completely healthy before contracting the virus, a doctor should assess the severity of your condition and answer the question of whether you need physical exercise. And if so, what kind. Forms of the flu can be so severe that they affect the functioning of many internal organs. And in this situation, exercise can only harm.
If you're not suffering from the flu too badly, light exercise can help you recover faster. But don't push yourself too hard - it can do more harm than good.
Will exercise boost immunity against flu?
Many people believe that exercise boosts their immune system and helps them recover faster when they are sick. But most doctors disagree. If you are feeling tired, have a fever, have a high temperature, or have aches and pains all over your body, it is likely that exercise, even the simplest, will make you feel worse.
How do you know if you need exercise when you have the flu?
According to some doctors, there's a pretty simple way to decide whether you should exercise: the "from the neck or to the neck" symptom rule.
If your symptoms are from the neck up, meaning you have a runny nose, headache, and maybe a very mild cough, you can probably do some basic exercise. The trick is to make sure you don't have any difficulty breathing during or after your workout. Doctors agree that doing exercise at a third of your normal pace may be the best course of action. But if you start to feel worse after a few hours, give yourself a few days off.
If your symptoms are from the neck down, i.e. you have a deep cough in your chest or a high fever, you should avoid any physical activity until you feel much better. Chest pain means you most likely have pneumonia and exercise will make it much worse. Your best bet then is to get enough sleep and rest.
Short-term effects of exercise on influenza
Fitness experts point out that many people think they feel better after a workout, but it's all about the production of endorphins - hormones of happiness that disappear very quickly. And the flu symptoms remain, and they only get worse over time. Most likely, these same people will feel worse just a few hours later.
Your body knows what's best for you - you just have to listen to it very carefully. Professional athletes know that skipping a workout while you recover from an illness doesn't hurt, and that the body will quickly renew itself once you get back to it. And finally, healthy people at the gym will be very grateful if you stay away from them until you've recovered.
Flu and physical activity are not very compatible. Just wait a week, and you will be able to start your training with new strength and inspiration.