If you're feeling under the weather, exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing—and it's true that when your body's already under a lot of stress (like an illness), making it do more work isn't always a good idea. But in some cases, light to moderate activity may actually help you feel better.

How Sick Is Too Sick to Workout?

There is a "thing" called the "neck rule," which essentially separates the body into two sections: above and below the neck. It's safe to break a sweat if you have above-the-neck symptoms such as:

• Sneezing
• Sinus pressure
• Stuffy nose

Anything below the neck, however, likely requires you to rest up for a few days to give your body a fighting chance at whatever's ailing you. Illnesses below the neck include:

• A sore throat
• Cough
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Chills (from a fever)

Even with those guidelines, you should still pay attention to how your body's feeling—if you don't feel like working out with significant sinus congestion, don't. And if you're having significant above-the-neck symptoms like severe headaches or double vision, a workout is definitely not a good idea; instead, be sure to check in with a healthcare provider or go to the nearest emergency room.

But if you're experiencing more minor symptoms and do opt for a quick workout, some exercises are better than others. Here are some of the best (and worst) workout options to consider when you're feeling just a little under the weather but still want to be active.

Best Exercises With Cold and Sinusitis

If you're sick but are still itching to work out, these exercises can be performed at a lower intensity than some alternatives. This makes them a better option when you're not feeling your best.

Walking

A cold may compromise your energy levels, so you may not feel up for intense physical fitness. But even just a 20-minute walk can help you reap the benefits of regular exercise, and it may also help improve your cold symptoms.

"If your sinuses are plugged up, walking will stimulate you to take deep breaths and can help open up those passages. (Of course, if you discover that walking—or any physical exertion—makes you feel worse rather than better, stop and focus on getting rest, instead.) Although there's little research on how exercise can affect the duration of a cold, researchers think regular exercise may increase your immunity to certain illnesses.

Jogging

As long as jogging is part of your routine, there's no reason you need to skip it just because of a mild head cold. Patients who are runners reportedly say that running helps them feel better when they're sick. Running is a natural decongestant, and it can help clear your head and feel normal again.

But if you're sick, you can (and should) scale back the intensity of your run, since your body is already working in overdrive to help fight off infection. And you should hold off entirely if you're experiencing flu-like or below-the-neck symptoms, like nausea or vomiting.

Pilates - Try an AinyFit Ltd Fitness PILATES Class!

Research suggests that stress-relieving techniques—such as pilates and breathing exercises—may help boost immunity and reduce inflammation, according to a meta-study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine in 2018. Plus gentle stretching may help relieve aches and pains related to colds and sinus infections.

Dance - Try an AinyFit Ltd DanceFIT Class!

Not only is taking a DanceFIT or cardio dance class—or even just rocking out to your favorite tunes while you clean the house—a safe form of exercise when you have above-the-neck symptoms, but it may also help you feel better. A 2021 article in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice found that dance can reduce stress levels, something that's been linked with better immune function.

Dance classes tend to be low impact, so you can break a sweat without putting too much stress on your joints (or aggravating a cold-related sinus headache). You can also go at your own pace: Take it easy on days you're not feeling 100 percent, and try to enjoy the party.