Regular exercise can boost your energy, improve your mood and increase your lifespan by reducing your risk of disease. You may be tempted to train hard to boost your weight loss results or improve your performance in an athletic event, but at some point a good thing becomes too much. Understanding the signs and risks of excessive exercise will help you preserve your health.
Physical Dangers
Forcing yourself to exercise when your body is still recovering from your previous workout session can lead to a series of physical effects. You will notice that your performance has lowered, translating to reduced endurance and speed and slower reaction time, according to the American Council on Exercise. Overtraining can also result in constant muscle and joint pain, increased susceptibility to illnesses, consistently higher heart rate and persistent fatigue. If you're a woman who overtrains, you may also experience disturbances in your menstrual cycle.
Psychological and Emotional Dangers
Overtraining can affect your hormones and sleep patterns, which means it may lead you to feel more agitated, moody and unfocused, according to the American Council on Exercise. The negative physical side effects of overtraining can also lead to reduced excitement or desire for training, which could cause depression in someone who thrives on consistent physical activity.
Body Repair
The best way to repair your body after you've overburdened it with exercise is to take a break. You may need one week or you may need several, depending on how far you overextended your body. You're ultimately the best judge of how you feel. Treat your body with care as you patiently wait for full recovery; drinking water throughout the day, getting a massage and sitting in a warm tub of water may help rejuvenate your body faster, suggests Women's Healthcare Topics.
Back to Basics
Slowly enter your old routine and prevent future problems by allowing at least one recovery day between strength training and high-intensity cardio sessions. Also, remember to warm up and cool down around each exercise session and consult a personal trainer if you're not sure how much weight you should be lifting or how fast you should be going.
Professional Treatment
Sometimes overtraining is a sign of an underlying psychological condition that's considered a compulsive issue akin to an eating disorder. Get in touch with a therapist, or ask your doctor for a referral to one, if you feel the need to exercise past comfort level to improve your appearance. Also seek help if your exercise habits are so extreme that they take priority over the rest of your life, including important aspects such as work and close relationships.
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