Over-Exercising. Knowing When It's Time to Slow Down

Many of us have felt a bit sore after a tough workout.  Generally, the discomfort passes after a couple of days and we learn to adjust our workout for next time.

But the issue comes when you start feeling tired all the time, even on your days off. You wake up, and every muscle is aching, and you feel like you’ve just run a marathon!

When you’re constantly fatigued or sore, this is a sign that you’re over-exercising. Other symptoms of overtraining include

• Decreased performance in workouts
• Needing longer to rest
• Increased irritability or mood changes
• Having trouble sleeping
• Getting an overuse injury

You may think that you can overcome the tiredness and push through the soreness, but continuing to work out when you’re already feeling drained is bad for your health. You can end up seriously injuring yourself if your muscles cannot cope with the stress you are placing on them through your tough workouts.

When you’re over-exercising, the best solution is to slow down. Take more days off during the week. Reduce the intensity of your workouts and make them slightly easier. You can also decrease the length of time that you are exercising.

Giving your body adequate time to rest and recover between workouts will make all the difference to the way you feel. By taking a few weeks to slow things down, you will start to see improvements in your performance, your mood, and the way your body feels.