When you are not at your best, it’s easy to become quite slothful. During this time of the year, many people suffer from spring asthenia, general weakness and fatigue caused by the seasonal changeover which easily leads to inactivity. Temperature fluctuations can drive our bodies crazy, so it’s not surpising that we end up getting sick, especially with common colds. In this scenario, many choose to stay home, waiting for better days to come, but is this the best idea?
Apart from following a balanced diet, regular exercise can definitely help us minimize the effects of recurrent diseases, including sinusitis. Do you want to know what kind of physical activities work best to fight off symptoms like nasal congestion? Lace up your tennis shoes and put your body to work!
Yoga
This ancient practice is considered ideal to keep sinusitis under control. Not only does it boost your immune system, but it can also help clear your sinus passages. Plus, by stretching your body and following certain routines, you can soothe pains associated with sinus infections or colds. Try out classic yoga poses such as standing forward bend (Uttanasana), raising your legs up the wall (Viparita Karani) or the downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), which can improve breathing and relieve congestion.
Jogging
When being sick, your body is in overdrive to face whatever is troubling your immune system, though that doesn’t have to deprive you from a good workout. For instance, if you feel under the weather and you are used to jogging, keep on doing it but don’t push yourself too hard. Just so you know, running increases cardiac rhythm and, in turn, blood flow, thereby lowering the inflammation in the nasal cavity. On top of that, going for a run may help clear your head.
Dancing
Any aerobic, cardio-training work can alleviate the symptoms of sinusitis, and dancing is one of them. Whether you take dance classes or you rock your body on your own, at home, don’t let sinusitis slow you down!
Walking
If you’d rather scale back the intensity of your physical exercise, why don’t you just try going for a 15 to 30-minute walk? After all, walking is another cardiovascular exercise, especially when done at a fast space. By taking deep breaths, you can reduce the blockage in the nasal passages.
Listen to your body…
Although a light to moderate workout can be a good complement to treat certain diseases such as sinusitis, you should always listen to your body and set your own limits. If, for instance, you have a fever and other symptoms such as vomits or diarrhea, you might as well get some rest instead of breaking a sweat. Same thing applies to those people who suffer from asthma, since their wheeze could worsen and lead to shortness of breath.
All in all, it’s a matter of balancing between what you can or can’t do depending on how you feel.
So what about you? Do you just stay in bed when you are sick or do you exercise anyway?
