The hangover. We’ve all been there after a night out drinking without enough water to combat the booze. Typical symptoms include headaches, fatigue and nausea. Your blood alcohol level is very low, and you may be dehydrated. Should you pull the covers over your head when the sun rises or trek to the gym with a hangover?

Should you workout with a hangover?

If you head to your morning workout with a hangover, you can expect to not perform at your top level. While experts and studies are varied on how beneficial it is to sweat it out, generally speaking, you should stay away from anything super high-intensity that’ll make your headache even worse. You should also avoid anything where you’re upside down (think downward dog in yoga) that will cause blood to rush to your head. Instead of indoor cycling, running or bootcamp, opt for a strength-based class that skips the cardio, or try a Pilates class. You’ll likely feel better and rejuvenated right after the workout, but be prepared for a crash later. Those endorphins will only stay high for a few hours, and you might feel your hangover again later.

There are some hangovers that keep you in bed all day. Hey, sometimes your body and your mind needs to take a day off. Instead of heading to class, grab some coconut water, take a shower and eat a hearty meal to soak up the booze. You can always work out tomorrow!

For this one, listen to your body. If you think you can power through a 30-minute or hour-long class, we encourage you to give it a try. Be candid with your instructor that you’re not feeling your best, and take modifications as needed. But if you can’t be bothered to make it out the door, don’t give yourself a hard time. Hangovers won’t last forever, and you’ll be back to your strong, active self soon.