The gym is not always the cleanest or most hygienic place in the world, especially during cold and flu season. With germs lurking in almost every machine hole, it’s easy to catch an unpleasant cold, a stomach virus, or a skin infection. But don’t let those threatening microbes keep you from squashing your workouts or staying healthy.
In addition to getting vaccinated against the flu , which can protect you against the most common strains of the virus each year, there are other preventive measures you should take to keep gym germs at bay. Today we give you six tips to avoid ending your training session with unnecessary discomfort.
Clean the training material
Have you ever considered how many germy fingers the elliptical handles have touched or the number of dirty hands that those dumbbells have gripped? That is why you should clean the equipment before using it.
During cold and flu season, when germs are everywhere, disinfecting surfaces is key to reducing contact with nuisance substances. In fact, a January 2013 study by researchers at the University of Arizona found that cleaning common surfaces can reduce the risk of contracting lice by 80%.
Don’t touch your face
Since you can’t sanitize every gym surface, you’re likely to encounter germs when you touch a dumbbell or a door knob. But you can still prevent pesky pathogens from making you sick. How? Keep your hands away from your face and mouth. In this way, whatever is on your fingers will not be able to penetrate your body and make you sick.
Then make sure to wash your hands as soon as possible or spray a little disinfectant (some gyms even have dispensers on the wall). However, keep in mind that alcohol-based disinfectants can take up to four minutes to kill the flu virus.
Get rid of your wet clothes
Want to run away to get home after the gym? Before this, take the time to change your sweaty sportswear for a dry change. Wet clothing quickly cools the surface of the body, causing the blood vessels in the nose and upper airways to become blocked, reducing blood flow to those areas areas.
This favors us to get sick, since it decreases the immune system in the nose and throat, thus allowing cold viruses to flourish.
Shower as soon as possible
If you use exercise mats, chances are you’re bathing your body in bacteria and other unpleasant things, so washing your hands won’t be enough to completely break free. In other words, you should get into the shower immediately.
The shower will also remove sweat, which can serve as a carrier for germs. Additionally, we excrete toxins through sweat, including chemical pollutants and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. A good scrub can remove these potentially harmful substances, which can affect your immune system.
Hydrate
Dehydration puts pressure on the body, which can reduce the immune response. To keep your body’s disease-fighting defenses strong, take plenty of H2O throughout the day, including during workouts.
Some experts recommend an average of two to three liters of filtered water per day, although the amount will vary for each person depending on the type of body and the level of activity they carry. As a general rule, drink enough water to make your urine light yellow.
Be careful with the bathroom
The gym bathroom is where you are most likely to encounter creepy infections, including contact infections like plantar warts and athlete’s foot . This is because humid environments, such as steam showers and pool areas, are basically germ breeding areas.
To avoid dirty surfaces, never walk barefoot in the bathroom (or anywhere else in the gym!). Always wear sports sandals or flip flops wherever you go. And of course, always wash your hands, using disposable tissues to turn off the faucet and open the door on the way out. You don’t want to recontaminate yourself!
Another way to protect yourself? Cover any open cuts or scratches. Your skin is the first line of defense against infection, so even an aggravated nail or the smallest shaving wound can create a pathway for bacteria to enter your body.
