7 Mistakes That Could Make Your Cold Worse Than It Already Is
Try
as you might, it’s not always easy to dodge colds. The average
American, after all, gets two to three colds a year, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most colds last only
three to five days, but you can still be congested or have a cough for
up to two weeks, says an infectious disease specialist.
The trouble is, colds can linger longer or get worse as a result of lifestyle habits and behaviors, including those you might otherwise have thought were healthy. Below, experts dish on seven of these things that could be making you feel worse or prolonging your recovery from the common cold.
But do note: “Sleep may be more important for cold prevention than cure,” she adds. In one clinical study, individuals who slept under five hours a night were almost three times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept over seven hours per night.
The trouble is, colds can linger longer or get worse as a result of lifestyle habits and behaviors, including those you might otherwise have thought were healthy. Below, experts dish on seven of these things that could be making you feel worse or prolonging your recovery from the common cold.
1: Not backing off your intensity at the gym.
Exercise can be a mental godsend when you’re sick, lifting your spirits at the very least. But don’t take this as permission to give it your all when you’re sick, or you could make yourself worse. If you have a runny nose or mild nasal congestion, you have permission to exercise with one caveat: “Keep the intensity mild to moderate,” Dr. Tan says. However, if you have a fever, cough, chest congestion, or stomach upset, hold off on all exercise until those symptoms resolve.2: Telling yourself you’re not sick.
If you’ve always subscribed to the mind-over-matter philosophy when it comes to recovering from colds, give it up. Pretending you’re not sick might not encourage you to dial back your activities, which means you could overexert yourself, thus making symptoms worse and delaying recovery. Worse? “You’re exposing others to your illness if you to go to work or the gym when you’re sick,” the Dr. says. Your body really does know best, so listen to it and give it the rest it needs. And by all means, if you have a high fever, vomiting, upset stomach, or severe cough or nasal congestion with a significant runny nose, stay home.3: Skimping on sleep.
Sleep might sink to the bottom of your regular to-do list—the CDC reports that one in three Americans don’t get the sleep they need—but when you’re sick, sleep becomes even more critical. “Inadequate sleep can reduce the function of the immune system and prolong recovery from colds,” says a physician. The problem is, cold symptoms like coughing and congestion can keep you from logging adequate sleep, which is why she recommends using over-the-counter medications like antihistamines, Tylenol, ibuprofen, and decongestants to sleep better.But do note: “Sleep may be more important for cold prevention than cure,” she adds. In one clinical study, individuals who slept under five hours a night were almost three times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept over seven hours per night.