Winter has officially arrived. The opaque tights, boots, winter coats, scarves and woolly jumpers are all back on the scene. And as the temperature drops, it makes regular exercise require that little bit more will power, as the excuses come in thick and fast.
Firstly, did you know that exercise can be just what the doctor ordered to help you keep colds at bay? Regular, moderate exercise can improve your overall fitness and boost your immune system so that it is more efficient at warding off winter bugs and germs, as well as helping to prevent more serious illnesses. A 20-30 minute daily walk or a couple of weekly trips to the gym can be enough to reduce the number of colds you get.
But what do you do if you already have a cold? Curl up on the sofa under a mountain of Kleenex and forgo your usual exercise regime until next year? It is usually safe to exercise with a cold, although you must listen to your body. The neck up or neck down rule is an easy way to determine your course of action. If your symptoms are neck up, meaning that you have a runny nose, headache and mild cough, you can workout – but experts believe that you should only do so at a third of your normal pace. If your symptoms are neck down, as in you have a chesty cough or fever, it is best to skip working out until you have recovered. Get your head down, get lots of sleep and rest and get lots of sympathy from well meaning friends and colleagues!
In the meantime, keep your immune system fighting fit and ready to beat off all those Winter bugs!
