Mild to moderate exercises, such as walking or stretching, can improve your immune system, which reduces the recovery period and alleviates cold symptoms. Regular exercises also reduce the risk of infection over the long term. A daily 30 to 45-minute workout with moderate intensity exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, and swimming is recommended. Try to avoid intensive training when you have a cold, fever, or headache. Consider consulting with a physician or fitness instructor to help create a personalized fitness plan if you have certain heart, respiratory, or bone-related conditions. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Take a slow, deep breath, sucking in as much air as you can. As you're doing this, your belly should push against your hand. Hold your breath and then slowly exhale. Some studies suggest that practicing relaxation techniques on a regular basis may help reduce the duration of a cold or the flu. Tai chi is a gentle exercise program that is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is composed of slow, deliberate movements, meditation, and deep breathing, which enhance physical health and emotional wellbeing. Many practitioners recommend practicing tai chi for about 15 to 20 minutes twice daily at home, since regular practice is essential for mastering the forms and achieving lasting results. Before beginning a tai chi program, you should check with your doctor and discuss your health needs with the tai chi instructor. to relax. Yoga is a mind-body therapy that improves fitness, lowers blood pressure, promotes relaxation and self-confidence, and reduces stress and anxiety. It uses physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to improve overall well-being. As with any physical activity, yoga can cause injury if not done correctly. It’s important to practice yoga with a trained teacher. Be sure to check with your doctor before trying yoga if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, or a recent back injury. Set the humidity in your home between 30% and 55% using a gauge called a humidistat, which you can buy from most hardware stores. If the humidity in your home is too high, mold and dust mites may thrive, both of which are common causes of allergies. Mold also causes an unpleasant smell and can discolor surfaces. If the humidity falls too low, it may cause dry eyes and throat and sinus irritations.  Dry air can make it harder for mucus to drain from the nasal passages, prolonging congestion. Using a humidifier in your bedroom or living room adds moisture to the air to prevent dehydration, help clear your sinuses, and soothe your throat. Both portable and central humidifiers must be cleaned thoroughly. Otherwise, they can become contaminated with mold and bacterial growth that may be blown through the house. Stop the humidifier and call your healthcare provider if you develop any respiratory symptoms that you feel are related to the use of a humidifier. Using an air purifier or ionizer may help to keep allergens such as mold, dust, and pollen out of your air. Filtering these particles out of the air may improve your household air quality and make it easier for you to recover from a cold. Air purifiers help clear the air of allergens that can irritate your nose and throat. They also keep your house smelling nice and clean. For a natural humidifier, consider getting a houseplant. Due to a process called transpiration, in which water vapor is released from the flowers, leaves and stems, plants can help regulate indoor humidity. Indoor plants also help clear the air of carbon dioxide and other pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, which may otherwise irritate your nose and throat. Good indoor plants include aloe vera, bamboo palm, weeping fig, Chinese evergreen, and various species of philodendron and dracaena. . Cigarette smoke can irritate nasal tissue, often leading to frequent headaches and chronic coughing, also known as “smoker’s cough”. This can increase the duration and severity of your cold. Try to avoid secondhand smoke and other hazardous fumes, which can also cause irritation and discomfort. Ask your doctor about ways to reduce and quit smoking. Smoking deprives your body of the oxygen needed to repair and build cells. Smoking narrows the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles and to the brain, which can cause many respiratory and heart illnesses, difficulty breathing, and even stroke.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Get moderate exercise. Manage your stress through breathing techniques. Practice tai chi to reduce stress. Do yoga Run a humidifier. Use an air purifier. Get an indoor houseplant. Quit smoking


Get your neck loose by rotating it around gently a few times and stretch your shoulders out by rotating them around your body.  Roll your neck around clockwise five times, then counter-clockwise for a simple neck stretch. Wrap each arm around your body as if you were giving yourself a hug. With your other arm, hold it in place for a count of 15, then repeat with the other arm. Relax your shoulders and your hand. Don't clench your fist. Imagine someone where pushing on your fingertips and pushing your arm straight back. Loosen up your shoulder a bit. Bring your arm across your body as far as it can, bring your elbow as close as possible to your mouth. This is the tricky part and can cause some discomfort. Use your left hand to guide back the right arm, keeping your shoulder back as possible. Stretch your neck forward, chin out, as far as you can. Try to think of it like you're going to grab your elbow with your chin. This will help you get the most distance out of your stretch. If you've got the right build for it, you should be able to stretch your tongue to your elbow in this position. If at this point, you can't touch your tongue to your elbow, stop. This stretch will get your elbow as close as possible to your mouth as possible. If you can't, it's because your upper arm is too long and no amount of stretching will make it happen. Don't risk hyperextending your shoulder by yanking on it too hard.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Be gentle and warm up with some stretches first. Hold your right arm out straight with your palm flat. Pull back your shoulder as far as you can so your shoulder blade stick out. Wrap your arm around your chin. Push/pull your arm backward. Crane your neck forward. Stick your tongue out as far as it will go.