Exercising in the times of COVID-19 pandemic
Exercise is super beneficial for your body. From keeping you fit, accelerating weight loss and maintaining strong immune health, every healthy individual should clock in 30-45 minutes of physical activity every day for better health.
It's important you clock in physical activity regularly
There are different kinds of exercises suited for every individual - beginner, moderate or advanced, just about anything to keep you in shape. The lockdown period also gave people sufficient time to pick up new workout styles (all from the safe comfort of their homes). However, now, experts have been trying to warn that while staying physically active could be the key to warding off COVID risk to an extent, some kinds of exercises are best refrained from, as they can increase the risk of catching the infection.
Here's how exercise boosts your immunity
It has been found to be evidently true that exercise keeps your metabolic system and immunity all geared up and functioning well. A robust functioning immune system keeps the body in a good shape and wards off infection risk. Apart from this, it has also been researched that exercising can cut off inflammation as well as flush out harmful toxins, bacteria and certain kind of viruses from your lungs and airways. Some studies also support that exercising boosts count of your disease-fighting antibodies and WBCs in the body, making it all the more beneficial.
However, skip doing this kind of exercise in the pandemic
Latest studies done by doctors from American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have found that certain type of exercises, such as high-intensity workouts may actually increase a person's risk of developing COVID-19 and hence, it is for the best if they are actually avoided during this time.
High-intensity exercises could expose you to danger
The reports which have been published in the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports, ACSM suggest that certain high-intensity exercises may overstrain and weaken the immune system, making a person more susceptible to catching the disease, which has infected over 20 million people so far.
In an urgent call-to-action, the researchers also advised people who fall in the high-risk category to practice more caution, suggesting that they should "refrain from exhaustive exercise, overreaching, and overtraining."
The study also mentions that high-intensity workouts could not just weaken the immune system, but also expose the body to more stress than usual, increase the likelihood of developing respiratory distress, complications from COVID as well as increase mortality risk.
Here's why it could be risky
High-intensity workouts are more strenuous and require a lot of precision. They also put more stress on your body.
A comprehensive study published last year in the Journal of Sports and Health Science pointed out that certain hormones which are produced during any kind of physical exertion or exercise could temporarily lower the body's immunity.
William Roberts, who is one of the lead authors in the study mentioned that it can also be possible that high-intensity workouts 'suppress' the immune system for temporarily, which could make you prone to experiencing problems. For those who are immuno-compromised, this could be a troublesome consequence to face.
Can too much of exercise be bad for you?
While the authors didn't explain the physiological process as to why this happens, the evidence they obtained did point out to the fact that high-intensity workouts shot up a person's chances of developing viral borne infections and illnesses for a while. The same way, doing too much exercise could also be potentially bad for your immunity.
There are also many more researchers to study the actual impact of vigorous or heavy training impact on your health and whether or not certain exercises could lead to immunosuppression.
What is the best form of exercise you can safely do right now?
High-intensity workouts may not be the best suited right now but that's no reason to avoid skipping your workouts in the pandemic. Simple to moderate exercises, done safely at home in the right way could just be as effective as vigorous training, without exposing you to any kind of risks. Brisk physical activity for 150-300 minutes is a good practice to stay healthy.
Should you go out to the gyms to workout?
With the lockdown phasing out gradually, several gyms and fitness centres are opening up. People are also starting to go out to exercise. While this is a call you should take as per your own personal discretion if you must, do so safely.
Guidelines issued by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for exercising in the times of COVID-19 pandemic also suggest the same. Here are a few tips you should be following:
-Wear a face mask or a face shield.
-Do not share yoga mats or exercise equipment.
-Gymnasiums and common access areas should be properly sanitized and disinfected.
-Wash hands sanitize before and after exercising.
-Utilize outdoor spaces, where there is no crowding or infection risk, as much as possible.
-Maintain social distancing.
-If you have a confirmed or suspected case, avoid exercising outdoors for two weeks, or till symptoms subside.
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