Regular exercise is imperative to keep in good health. Working out also reduces stress and helps you maintain your weight, giving you a better self-image. The key to a successful workout program is to start off slowly, and gradually build up your fitness level. You still want to challenge yourself, but there is a danger in exercising too much. Working out until exhaustion has negative short-term and long-term health effects and may even be indicative of mental health disease in some individuals.
Causes
There are different reasons why exercisers work out until exhaustion. More commonly, you might simply enjoy working out, and you want to exercise to achieve certain fitness goals or to feel good. Sometimes athletes can mistakenly work out too much, but will quit once they know they have overdone it. In some cases, however, frequently exercising too much is indicative of a mental health disorder. Kids Health explains that you may be a compulsive exerciser if you feel you have to exercise no matter what the circumstances are, including inclement weather and injuries. Compulsive exercisers are overcome with guilt for not working out to the extreme.
Effects
Working out until you are exhausted makes you feel excessively fatigued and faint. This is dangerous, particularly if you exercise away from home. Extreme weather conditions, such as excessive heat and cold, increase the chances of exercise-related exhaustion. Repeatedly working out until exhaustion breaks down muscle mass and can lead to other damage including cartilage, bone, ligament, tendon and joint damage. Women are at risk of hormonal changes from over-exercising that can lead to disrupted menstrual cycles.
Long-term Health Risks
Consistent over-exercise can cause long-term body damage including osteoporosis. You are at an increased risk if you continually work out with existing injuries. Exercising at such intensity can also strain the heart. If you take diet pills, you place yourself at risk of coma and even death. Compulsive exercising can also lead to other behaviors such as anorexia.
Recommendations
A combination of aerobic exercise and strength training is necessary to help you maintain your weight and your overall health. MayoClinic.com recommends moderate exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day -- but not to exceed 300 minutes per week. Increase the intensity for shorter amounts of time during your workout sessions, as opposed to working out harder for longer. Stop exercising immediately if you feel dizzy or faint. Your physician can help you figure out an exercise routine based on your personal health history. For example, you will need to take extra precautions if you have a history of heart disease. This will decrease your risk of injury. If you suspect that you or someone else is addicted to exercise, seek the help of a mental health professional.
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