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In Sickness and in Health?

When you're feeling under the weather, should you stay home and hug the tissue box or hit the gym? Here's what you need to know about exercise and the common cold and flu.

Cold weather brings snowflakes and sled rides, warm cocoa and cozy fires. It also brings runny noses, stuffy heads, aching joints, and other symptoms of the common cold and flu. If you look forward to your gym time or you're simply afraid to step away from your exercise routine, what do you do? The answer depends, in part, on your symptoms.

Cold Considerations If you have the common cold and the annoying symptoms that go along with it—usually a runny or stuffy nose and no fever—it's probably fine to don workout clothes and trek to the gym (if you feel up to it). Go easy, though. Mild to moderate exercise, such as walking, probably won't worsen symptoms of a cold, says David C. Nieman, DrPH, spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine and the director of the human performance laboratory at Appalachian State University, in Boone, North Carolina. But it's still unknown what effect, if any, vigorous exercise has on cold symptoms.

Flu Factors When your symptoms seem more severe (fever, headache, cough, sore throat, aching joints, fatigue) or you think you may have the flu, it's better to rest and give your body time to heal than to work up a sweat, says Nieman. Sometimes, it's hard to know if you have a cold or the flu. When in doubt, rest and wait it out, he says.

Your Comeback If flu symptoms have sidelined your exercise aspirations, give yourself two to four weeks to gradually return to your regular exercise program. Rest, drink plenty of liquids, and avoid alcohol and tobacco. It's okay to take over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen, to relieve fever, muscle aches, and other flulike symptoms.

Future Germs Once you're back on track, consider this: Research shows that people who exercise typically get fewer colds than their inactive peers do. That's cold comfort when you're sick but good motivation to exercise. Here are some other ways to help prevent the spread of flu and respiratory illnesses.

Get a flu shot. It's the best way to protect yourself and others against influenza.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, and toss the tissue afterward.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand cleaner if no washroom is available.

Avoid contact with people who are sick. And keep your distance from others when you're sick.

Stay home. Work can wait. Let others do your shopping and errands.

Don't touch your eyes, nose, and mouth.