There's nothing like a bout of illness to throw your exercising routine out of balance.
If you're training for a particular sporting event or have dedicated yourself to a strict exercising routine for a particular reason, this can be particularly frustrating.
While mild-to-moderate exercise is usually fine in certain situations, it can very literally be life-threatening in others.
Medical doctor Edward Laskowski from the Mayo Clinic offers some guidelines for those who wish to continue exercising while they are sick.
Exercise is generally acceptable if:
Your symptoms are above the neck - meaning if you have symptoms associated with a common cold such as a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and a mild sore throat.
But, you might consider reducing the length and intensity of your workout by, for example, going for a walk instead of a run.
Avoid exercising if:
Your symptoms are below the neck, meaning you have a chest infection, a cough or an upset stomach.
Never exercise if you are fatigued from being sick, have muscle aches or are running a fever.
Listen to your body
Apart from these general guidelines, listen to your body.
If you feel rotten, take a break so as to not overexert your body which might make you sicker, prolonging your healing period and keeping you from exercising for a longer period of time.
As you begin feeling better, you can start exercising again gradually, but if in doubt, check with your doctor.