Should You Do Yoga When You're Sick? The Final Word

It's hard to workout when you're suffering from nose-blowing and unforgivable stomach flus.

When your immune system is disrupting your fitness goals, it can be hard to know how sick is too sick to keep practicing yoga. So, I consulted two yogis to get the facts on whether or not practicing yoga while sick is a good idea. Here's their take:

If you have a mild case of the sniffles, Mary Dana Abbott says going ahead with your practice is just fine and that many doctors give patients the green light to practice as long as their symptoms are above the neck.

In other words, a runny nose and congestion mean you can practice, but if you have a fever, aches and pains, or anything that originates in the lungs, your time is better spent getting rest, drinking liquids, and eating healing foods.

"If you're in the later stages of a cold, go to class and listen to your body," Fern Olivia adds. "A gentle class may be best. I wouldn't go to Bikram when you're still feeling weak and achy. Trust me; you'll get better faster if you do more restorative yoga poses and sleep." Plus, if you’re feverish or not feeling well, you don't want to spread germs to other people in a hot, humid room.

Doing yoga with a fever will only make things worse—and if you think you can sweat out your sickness, think again.

"Your immune system needs to focus on healing, and strenuous movement is going to tax your system," says Mary Dana. "Sweating can promote dehydration and tire out your body instead of giving it rest. Drink lots of fluids to help support your body's elimination system. I used to try to 'sweat it out,' but ended up prolonging illness every time. Focus on healing foods and rest, and you'll be back to top form in no time."

If you are going to move gently while healing, Fern suggests taking some easy at-home postures.

"One of my favorites is supported bridge pose with your legs up on a bed, one or two blocks under your lower back," says Fern. "I swear by this one for anything from brain fog to bloating and flu-like symptoms. Your body is asking you to slow down and rest. Honor that!"

First things first: Your teacher and fellow yogis won't be pleased if they come down with a cold because you were coughing your way through the class. So if you have a cold—and especially if you feel like you're coming down with one, as that's the time when you're most contagious—respect your instructor and other students by practicing at home.

Try moving through sun salutations and a few backbends. If that feels like too much, simplify your routine.

"Really simple, like sitting on the edge of your bed and doing arching the spine, side stretching, and light twisting," says Mary Dana. "Get a yoga belt, and do some stretching in bed, walk around a bit, but really take it easy."

Here's hoping those sniffles clear up soon.

Leigh Weingus is a New York City based freelance journalist and former Senior Relationships Editor at mindbodygreen where she analyzed new research on human behavior, looked at the intersection of wellness and women's empowerment, and took deep dives into the latest sex and relationship trends. She received her bachelor's in English and Communication from the University of California, Davis. She has written for HuffPost, Glamour, and NBC News, among others, and is a certified yoga instructor.