Is it good to sweat while running when you have a cold? What should I base my judgment on?

Some friends think that they can go out for a run when they have a cold, because they will get better as long as they sweat. In fact, this is not true. Some patients with colds are not suitable for running and sweating, because it may aggravate the cold and prolong the treatment time.

First: How to judge whether you should keep running when you have a cold?

Sometimes running can help you stay healthy even when you're not feeling well, but other times it can make a cold worse. A simple way to determine whether you should persist in running or stay in bed and rest is to refer to the "neck rule" and "body temperature data".

1. Neck rule:

(1) If you experience discomfort below the neck, such as weakness in the limbs, chills, diarrhea, or chest tightness, you need to see a doctor or rest in bed.

(2) If the discomfort symptoms are above the neck, such as sore throat, nasal congestion, etc., running will not affect the body's recovery speed. The key is to control the intensity of exercise, maintain a low heart rate, and prevent sweating and cold.

2. Body temperature:

The normal human body temperature is between 36 and 37 degrees. If the temperature is between 37.3 and 38 degrees, it is a low fever, 38.1 to 39 degrees is a moderate fever, 39.1 to 41 degrees is a high fever, and above 41 degrees is a very high fever.

If you insist on running when you have a fever, it will not only prolong the recovery time but may even be dangerous. Because the body will concentrate energy supply to muscles, which weakens the immune system function.

At the same time, if you feel cold all over, you can't run anymore. Don't worry, taking a break won't negatively impact your previous training gains.

Second: If you just caught a cold, will running and sweating help you get better faster?

Many friends would think: when you just catch a cold, go for a run and sweat while the discomfort is not obvious yet, so as to relieve the symptoms of the cold and make the cold get better faster. In fact, this result is like "adding fuel to the fire", making a minor cold become more serious.

Sweating removes toxins from the body. On the surface, it relieves cold symptoms, but it may also pose hidden dangers. This is because immunity will be suppressed within about 24 hours after exercise, during which time the immune cells are resting and recuperating. When the cold virus invades the body, the immune system is needed to fight it. Without immune cells, the cold germs will naturally be extremely rampant. At the same time, exercise will consume a lot of nutrients, which weakens the body's resistance. Therefore, even if the cold is not serious, you cannot recover by running and sweating.