Once in the swing of daily exercise, it can be difficult to determine the right balance to optimize performance and health. Moderate exercise is key to support mental health, promote improved sleep quality, and chronic disease prevention.
We live a culture that leans heavily on photoshopped selfies, and encourages us to push harder to obtain enhanced results. This makes it easy for us to develop daily, exhaustive exercise habits that can ultimately be detrimental to our physical or mental health. Here are four key signs you may be over exercising to avoid risk for injury or burnout.
1. Soreness lasting more than 48 hours
It’s normal to have some soreness after a hard workout. In fact, we often use sore muscles as a gauge for how productive our fitness routine is.
Muscle soreness after exercise is a side effect of inflammation within our muscles. This is commonly referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS. It usually begins setting in 6-8 hours after a new or intense workout, and lasts up to 24-48 hours.
However, if muscle pain and soreness lasts longer than 48 hours from your last workout, this is a sign of a potential overuse injury in the form of micro tears in your muscles, sprains, or other complications.
2. Lasting joint pain
Joint pain is a common side effect of over exercising in high impact sports, such as running. If left untreated, this can lead to chronic inflammation of the joint, causing damage to the surrounding cartilage. Over time, joint inflammation can cause permanent damage, called osteoarthritis.
In cases of chronic joint pain, it’s important to seek medical attention to address any potential overuse injuries before it may develop into a lifelong complication.
3. Backsliding results
Naturally, we get into the habit of consistent, high-intensity workouts to bring positive results in terms of overall fitness and performance measures. However, when we exceed our body’s threshold, we can ultimately backslide in our overall performance.
A common sign of over exercising occurs when we experience a plateau or decline in our weight lifting gains, or reduced endurance and agility. This ultimately prevents you from reaching your particular training goals. Backsliding results are an important sign of over exercising, and warrant an adjustment to your exercise routine to avoid injury.
4. Negative shifts in mood and sleep quality
If you exercise frequently, you likely enjoy the benefits to your overall mood post-workout. These feelings of well-being originate from the role exercise plays in stimulating the release of key hormones in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. These hormones elicit feelings of well-being, decreased depression, and increased sleep quality. In addition, exercise is linked with increased testosterone levels. Testosterone affects your ability to build muscle, mood, and libido.
However, when you begin experiencing impaired sleep quality or agitation after extended periods of intense exercise, it may be time to reevaluate. That’s because chronic high intensity exercise can stimulate the release of Cortisol and norepinephrine. These hormones excite your nervous and endocrine systems, eliciting a “fight or flight” response. In addition, one study discovered norepinephrine may stay elevated for up to 48 hours after exhaustive exercise, potentially leading to sleep disturbances, irritability, and restlessness.
Adjusting your workouts to avoid burnout
Exercise is crucial to sustaining long-term health. If you struggle with a chronic disease and are looking for support with incorporating exercise into your routine, or are a fitness junky who is concerned you may be at risk for burnout, contact us for resources that may help you.
Citation
Missy Sturges. 4 common symptoms of over exercising. Go Integrative Health, 2021.