Sneezing After Exercise? Here’s What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You

Ever finish up your workout feeling triumphant, but then you start sneezing? For some people, this is all too common — especially if your workout took place outside.

Here are four reasons you may sneeze after exercise, plus how to stop a sneezing fit or runny nose after your workout.

Exercise-Induced Rhinitis

If you have a runny nose or feel congested and are sneezing after a run, exercise-induced rhinitis may be to blame. Yep, for some people, working up a sweat can also trigger a temporary case of the sniffles.

This doesn’t mean you’re allergic to exercise though. Basically, your nasal passages become inflamed, which leads to a runny nose, sneezing, congestion, and itching. This can happen after indoor or outdoor workouts.

Treatment for exercise-induced sneezing can include saline rinses and corticosteroid, antihistamine, or ipratropium nasal sprays.

Allergies

Not only can exercising outdoors expose you to a greater amount of allergens — all that heavy breathing makes things worse.

“When we exercise, the volume of air that moves through our respiratory tract increases. If you are pollen-allergic and choose to exercise outside, you are theoretically exposing your nasal mucosa to more allergen, given that you are moving more pollinated air through the respiratory tract,” says board-certified allergist Amina Abdeldaim, MD, MPH.

And this may be why you sneeze after running or other activity.

“In this [outdoor exercise] scenario, there is a higher dose of allergen meeting its antibodies on the surface of the mast cells,” Dr. Abdeldaim says. When that happens, mast cells trigger a histamine response, which can lead to a nose that won’t stop running, severe sneezing, and sinus pressure.

• ‌Pollen‌ from trees, ragweed, or grass: Each pollen type has its own season to “shine,” so different people are affected at different times.
• Spores from mold‌ and certain fungi: These are especially likely to affect you during an indoor workout if your home or fitness center has some of these allergens lurking.
• Dust mites: For people with allergic rhinitis, doing sit-ups on a carpet full of ‌dust mites‌ can definitely cause sneezing fits.
• Animal dander: If you have pets, ‌animal dander‌ may get up close and personal with your nasal passages while you’re dancing up a storm with your aerobics video.

Sunlight

If you don’t have allergies, something else in your environment could be causing your sneezing. For instance, some people may notice their sneezing is triggered by hot or cold temperatures or exposure to bright light (like the sun), Abdeldaim says.

Illness

How to Stop Sneezing When Allergies Are the Cause

If seasonal (or indoor) allergies are the reason you’re sneezing after exercise, here are some things to keep in mind to breathe easier before and after your workout:

1. Look at the Pollen Count

There are many weather apps that will tell you the pollen count in your area, alert you when the pollen is especially high, and provide info on the types of pollen that are swirling in the air.

2. Step Outside

Pollen counts or ratings might be useful, but you can also take stock of the sneeze-ability of a day by just stepping outside. Is it humid? Especially windy?

“Humid air will keep pollen more buoyant, and wind carries pollen and keeps it circulating,” Abdeldaim says. She suggests moving your activity indoors, closing windows, and turning on air-conditioning to avoid sneezing after a workout.

3. Watch Where You Work Out

If you know you’re allergic to indoor allergens like mold or dust mites, you may notice that the sneezing starts following a workout inside, especially in the basement. Basements are known for harboring mold — and carpets, heavy drapes, and stacks of books can also hold dust, Dr. Abdeldaim says.

Exercising in an area that exposes you to your particular allergens can trigger symptoms. If you’re working out at home, try doing it in different rooms, if possible — you may find that it makes a difference.

4. Keep an Allergen Diary

Knowing what you’re allergic to can help you focus on the avoidance measures that help you stay sniffle-free.

“It helps to keep an allergen diary. This is like a food diary that can be reviewed to look for any trigger patterns,” Abdeldaim says. Write down when your allergies flared, what you were doing at the time, and where you were. You may start to notice patterns and then can adjust your behavior.

5. See a Specialist

Lastly, allergy testing by a board-certified allergist can help you definitively pinpoint what sets off your sneezing after running or other exercise. Your doctor can then help you come up with a treatment plan that will work for you and your active lifestyle.

The Takeaway

• When you sneeze after a workout, it could be due to exercise-induced rhinitis, allergies, or even sunlight. It could also be a sign that you have a cold or other upper respiratory illness.
• If allergies are the cause of your post-exercise sneezing, identifying what you’re allergic to and avoiding those triggers may help to reduce the sneezing.
• If sneezing after exercise is getting in the way of your workouts, see a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.