Can I practice yoga if I have a cold?

Yoga is one of the more relaxing forms of exercise, and it can improve the body's flexibility. From a medical perspective, yoga also has certain therapeutic effects. As we all know, cold is a common disease. Once it occurs, it will make your body very uncomfortable, causing dizziness, headache and fatigue. So after catching a cold, can patients still do yoga normally?

Can I practice yoga when I have a cold?

It is not advisable to practice yoga during a cold because:

1. When exercising, you will sweat a lot and toxins in the body will be discharged faster. On the surface, it can temporarily relieve the symptoms of a cold, but it will lay a considerable "hidden danger" because, about 24 hours after intense exercise, immunosuppression will occur. During this time, the immune cells begin to "strike" and take a rest and recuperation. The cold virus invades the body and the immune system is needed to fight it. Without immune cells, the cold germs will naturally be extremely rampant, and it is very likely that a minor cold will develop into viral myocarditis, pneumonia, or rheumatism.

2. The body's metabolism will be relatively vigorous after exercise, which will consume a large amount of sugar, fat, protein, etc. in the body, which will weaken the body's resistance. The "fragile" resistance often cannot withstand any bacterial attack in crowded sports occasions, aggravating the severity of the cold.

3. Nostril breathing is important for yoga practice. If the nostrils are blocked or there is runny nose, it will not only affect breathing but also the effect. During colds and flu, the lungs are diseased. Various yoga breathing methods will greatly stimulate the lungs and may aggravate the condition. The practice consumes physical strength. It is best to rest more during a cold and should not exert any more energy.

4. If it is an infectious cold, it can also infect others.

Therefore, you should try to rest as much as possible after catching a cold to create favorable conditions for the body's resistance and eliminate toxins in the body by drinking more water. After recovering from a cold, you should also choose gentle exercise to allow the muscles and joints that have rested for a period of time to adapt.

However, the natural therapy in yoga - abdominal breathing can relieve colds.

Lie flat on your back with your eyes closed. Place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other hand on your upper abdomen. Relax all the muscles in your body without exerting force. Inhale through your nose and feel the air slowly filling up your abdomen through your nose, throat, and chest until your abdomen is completely inflated. Then exhale slowly through your nose until all the air in your abdomen is gone. Let your abdomen naturally sink, then continue to inhale, and repeat this cycle.