Every single day, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites come at us. We are living in a germ jungle!
The most common sickness we tend to see
- colds
- coughs
- influenza
- sinusitis
- tonsillitis
- throat infections
- ear infections
Luckily, our immune system has got a plan. When faced with foreign attack, it works hard to defend us. Without the immune system, we’d never have a healthy day in our lives.
When we’re healthy, our bodies can easily adapt to stress. Over time, this progressive adaptation is precisely what makes us fitter and stronger but what tends to happen when we get sick all of a sudden our workouts can be more then the immune system can handle.
Still, there’s no reason to dive for the couch the minute you feel the sniffles coming on. Unless you’re severely out of shape, non-strenuous movement shouldn’t hurt you — and it might even help.
For example walking and cycling can actually boost immunity.
They aren’t intense enough to create serious immune-compromising stress on the body. Instead, they often help you feel better and recover faster while feeling under the weather.
Exercise may play a role in our immune response.
Here’s how:
- After one prolonged vigorous exercise session we’re more susceptible to infection. For example, running a marathon may temporarily depress the adaptive immune system for up to 72 hours. This is why so many endurance athletes get sick right after races.
- However, one brief vigorous exercise session doesn’t cause the same immune-suppressing effect. Further, just one moderate intensity exercise session can actually boost immunity in healthy folks.:
- Consistent, moderate exercise and resistance training can strengthen the immune system over time. So, by all means, train hard while you’re healthy.
- But single high intensity or long duration exercise sessions can interfere with immune function. So take it easy when you’re feeling sick.
In summary with the weather changing as we creep into autumn be sure to listen to your body, drop off the vigorous heavy intense training for a couple of days and transfer to low intensity work for a few days your body and immune system will thank you and the rest will have you raring to go the following week.