Exercising with a Mask : Yes or No?

This quarantine period had a toll on everyone’s physical health. However, as the lockdown eases down and the unlock phases come into play, the urge to get out of our houses for a run or a jog is inevitable.

Exercising, running, jogging or cycling with a face mask on in public places, would be as uncomfortable as accepting the new name “Glow and Lovely” of the former brand “Fair and Lovely”. But the truth is, practising both of them is necessary in order to ensure safety of the citizens’ physical and mental health.

Let us compare the adverse effects as well as the benefits of wearing a mask whilst exercising.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), people should not wear masks while exercising as masks reduce the ability to breathe comfortably.

With less air, your body has less oxygen available to utilize during exercise to convert glucose (sugar) into energy i.e., less oxygen in your working muscles which can make the training more difficult, leading to increased heart rate and a loss of consciousness. Exercising with a mask on can reduce the pace of the athlete while running or cycling. It is usual for a person to be fatigued faster than before with a mask on.

Here are a few precautions to be taken if at all you are moving out for an ephemeral fitness experience :

• People jogging outdoors can run at a slower pace and can wear disposable masks in order to ensure decent flow of air in the lungs, thus not overworking themselves.

• If exercising outdoors, avoid paper or surgical masks as they become rapidly wet when we breathe into them vigorously. Such masks may also lose some of their ability to block germs. Cotton cloth masks likewise dampen easily. Cloth masks made from breathable, synthetic materials should lessen formation of moisture. 

• Choose models that have two layers of fabric or less to avoid facial overheating.

Look out for these symptoms in order to lessen the harm caused by the masks : 

1. Dizziness

2. Dehydration

3. Numbness

4. Shortness of breath

Please don't let these symptoms go unnoticed, like the happiness in little things. If you experience any of these, be smart and stop exercising! Those extra 60 seconds of exercising and ignoring any symptoms might cause irreversible damage. We can win this war, by winning these little battles everyday.

While one does not have to wear a mask while exercising at home, make sure you are not deterred from wearing the mask while working out among other people.

Note : This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information.

- Komal Makwana (Team SYNC Snippets)

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