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Set the first alarm clock for those who never found a reason to skip training and sleep one more hour: the stress of work weighs on you, that little pain from the weekend’s run manifests itself, the blister on your foot exists, it’s cold… All very valid! So valid that it takes focus to get out from under the covers. Look, there are days when it’s better to stay there! Yes, exercise is good, but in some situations, the body needs a break.
Contrary to what you might think, acknowledging and respecting this will favor your performance – after all, you don’t want to run the risk of having to spend a lot more time out due to illness or injury. So consider staying home when you have…
1. Flu or cold
If you’re all “in doubt”, believe me, you’re going to run out of breath in training. Also, the body needs to save energy to fight the infection. “Flu and cold usually heal on their own, but rest prevents complications, such as pneumonia”, warns infectologist Camila Martini, from São Paulo. “Return to more intense activities gradually, up to two weeks after symptoms such as fever and shortness of breath are gone.” Until then, prefer exercises that don’t leave you out of breath, and done in places with good air circulation – you don’t want to leave your gym colleagues with the flu too, right?
Read more: Being fit does not eliminate the risk of overweight to the heart, says study
2. Back pain
You woke up and crashed! It could be the fault of bad posture or the exaggerated load in bodybuilding. “When we overload the musculature around the spine, the body responds with stiffness and pain”, explains orthopedist Bruno Rabello, from Rio de Janeiro. Usually this inflammatory process resolves itself in a few days. During this time, rest and warm compresses on the site offer some relief. “Stretching does not help heal the injury and can even make it worse”, warns Bruno.
3. Insomnia
Don’t feel guilty: tiredness is very different from laziness – and even laziness is sometimes part of it. “People should sleep, on average, seven to eight hours a night. And sleep needs to be of quality – when you wake up recovered”, explains endocrinologist Wilmar Accursio, from São Paulo. If this does not happen for a few days, the muscles become fatigued and reflexes are slower, and there is a risk of injury and loss of lean body mass.
Thinking that exercises will make you tired and make you sleep faster is a mistake. “Intense workouts release adrenaline – result: accelerated body. In periods of insomnia, opt for relaxing activities, and never after 8 pm.”
4. Hangover
A glass or two of wine the night before is not an excuse to skip your morning workout. If you overdid it at your best friend’s bachelorette party, don’t go working out thinking about burning off all the calories from the drinks at once. “Alcohol is a diuretic, and excess urine leads to dehydration and the loss of important minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) that regulate muscle contractions”, explains Wilmar.
Also, drinking messes up our sugar reserves. “Muscles have less raw material to manufacture energy and weakness sets in. Chances are you’ll end the workout feeling even worse than you did before.” Prefer to rest and drink lots of water.
5. Headache
Does your head throb just thinking about the loud music blasting in the gym? Better change your plans for the day. Physical activity tends to make a headache worse (much worse). Especially if you bet on the modalities in which you jump, crouch and climb or get very out of breath – the dilation of blood vessels increases that uncomfortable pulsation. Plus, working out lowers blood glucose and can dehydrate the body, two very common migraine triggers.
“If you don’t want to sit still, prefer to do a very light aerobic exercise, like a walk or a bike ride in a quiet place. This stimulates circulation in the brain, relaxes and can even alleviate pain”, explains neurologist Marcus Paulo de Souza, from São Paulo.
Read more: 8 secrets to boost immunity against colds and flu
6. Menstrual cramps
We understand that you prefer to be quiet when the pain hits. “But I only advise against physical activity for those who have a lot of bleeding during menstruation, because it can increase”, says gynecologist Célia David, from São Paulo. In general, colic sufferers benefit from stretching and relaxation practices. “The pain happens because there are contractions in the uterus. Exercises that stimulate the pelvic muscles alleviate the discomfort.” Take the opportunity to try the pilates or yoga class.
7. Diarrhea or vomiting
It doesn’t matter the reason – whether it was a gastrointestinal disease caused by viruses, bacteria or just a food that didn’t go down well – diarrhea and vomiting lead to intense water loss. “And the exercises intensify dehydration quickly”, warns Camila. For a week, skip training to stay home (very close to your bathroom!) and drink lots of water to hydrate. “The immune system needs this rest to fight the causes of the disease.”
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