Buy Thrive

Article

How long does a cold last, and when can you exercise again?

A scratchy throat on Monday, a blocked nose by Wednesday, and by Friday you're wondering how much longer this will go on, and whether you can get back to your walk, run or gym session yet.

Here's how long a cold usually lasts, what helps while it runs its course, a simple way to decide whether to exercise, when to see your GP, and how the Thrive Health Band and the Thrive by Optihealth app can help you see when you're back to your usual.

How long does a cold last?

According to healthdirect, cold symptoms are usually mild, peak on day 3 or 4, and most of the time you'll feel better within 7 to 10 days. A cough can hang around after your other symptoms have gone.

Colds are very common. Healthdirect says adults get 2 to 4 colds a year on average, and children can get up to 8. They're more common in winter, but a spring cold is no fun either.

Common cold symptoms

Healthdirect lists the usual signs:

  • sore throat
  • sneezing
  • blocked or runny nose
  • headache
  • cough
  • tiredness

Some adults also get a low-grade fever, though fever with a cold is more common in children.

Is it a cold or the flu?

A cold and the flu can feel alike at first. Healthdirect explains that the flu is caused by a different virus and usually makes you feel much more unwell. If you're not sure, a rapid antigen self-test (RAT) from a chemist or supermarket can check for COVID-19 and, with some kits, flu and RSV.

How long is a cold contagious?

Cold viruses spread easily, through droplets when someone coughs or sneezes and on hands, surfaces and shared objects. Healthdirect's advice is simple: stay home when you're sick, cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, wash your hands often, and don't share cups or cutlery.

How to get over a cold faster

There's no quick fix. Antibiotics don't help a cold, because colds are caused by viruses, not bacteria. What you can do is look after yourself while your body does the work. Healthdirect suggests:

  1. Rest. Sleep is where a lot of your recovery happens, so an early night is a good call.
  2. Drink plenty of fluids through the day. Here's how much water you need.
  3. Try saline nasal drops or sprays for a blocked nose.
  4. Ask your pharmacist about over-the-counter options such as pain relief or throat lozenges, and check the instructions before you take them.

Healthdirect also notes there's no good evidence that vitamins or other supplements stop you catching a cold.

Can you exercise with a cold?

Sports scientists often use a rule of thumb called the "neck check".

Symptoms above the neck, like a runny nose, sneezing or a mild sore throat: light to moderate exercise is usually fine if you feel up to it. The University of Queensland's School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences suggests swapping a jog for a gentle walk or yoga, lifting lighter weights and resting longer between sets.

Symptoms below the neck or all over, like chest congestion, muscle or joint aches, a fever or an upset stomach: skip the workout and rest. Professor David Pyne from the University of Canberra told ABC News that with these whole-body symptoms, the smart advice is not to exercise. ABC News adds that exercising with a fever can make an illness last longer and can be dangerous.

Either way, listen to your body. And if you head to the gym, remember everyone else on the equipment.

Getting back into exercise after a cold

The good news: missing a few days or a week won't undo your fitness if you were exercising regularly before, according to Professor Pyne. UQ's advice is to start at a lower level than before, see how your body responds, and build up gradually with shorter sessions, lighter weights or slower speeds.

Easy first sessions might be a walk for your mental health or some gentle active recovery.

When to see your GP

Healthdirect suggests seeing your doctor if you feel unwell and are worried about your health, if you think you might be dehydrated, or if your symptoms, including a cough, don't go away.

Call triple zero (000) or go to an emergency department if you are having trouble breathing.

You don't have to remember exactly when each symptom started. You can show your Thrive trends to your GP, and Ask Thrive can help you pull together what changed and when.

See when you're back to your usual with Thrive

Thrive can't tell you whether you have a cold, the flu or something else. What it can do is show how you're tracking compared with your own normal, so deciding when to ease back in is less of a guess.

Log how you feel. On the Log symptom screen you can search for symptoms like Sore throat, Runny nose, Blocked nose or Cough, rate how bad each one is from 1 to 10, and add when it started and stopped.

Check your overnight signals. Wear the Thrive Health Band to bed. It has no screen and up to 14 days of battery. The Overnight Recovery card looks at your resting heart rate and HRV during sleep, and Thrive also shows your temperature trend and your sleep Quality, Quantity, Regularity and Timing.

Use Recovery Estimate before a big day. The Recovery Estimate card combines your sleep, activity and overnight heart rate to answer one question: "Am I ready for another full day, or does my body need more rest?" It also estimates how long until you're back to your usual.

Over time, Thrive learns what's usual for you right across your health, from sleep, heart, temperature and activity to mood, stress, meals and medications. Then you can ask Ask Thrive things like:

  • "How did my sleep compare with my usual while I had this cold?"
  • "When did my resting heart rate get back to normal for me after I logged a sore throat?"

Before you buy

Thrive Health Band: A$589 for the first year (Band plus 12 months of the Thrive plan), paid upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST.

Free shipping. Your 12 months start when you activate your Band, and there's no automatic renewal.

At renewal: a new band plus 12 more months for A$589.

Or keep your band and renew the plan for A$240 a year.

Or A$29 a month with no lock-in.

One size, IP68, up to 14 days battery, 12-month warranty, not a medical device, no Apple Health sync. The app is Thrive by Optihealth on iPhone and Android.

See today's price on the Thrive store

Consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

Common questions

What day is a cold the worst?

Healthdirect says symptoms usually peak on day 3 or 4.

Why is my cough still hanging around?

A cough can linger after your other cold symptoms have gone. If it doesn't go away, see your GP.

Should I go to the gym with a cold?

If your symptoms are mild and above the neck, light exercise is usually fine, ideally at home or outdoors so you don't pass it on. With a fever, aches or chest symptoms, rest.

For more answers, see Questions.