21 Oct Is It Possible to Do Too Much Exercise?

Exercise is generally recommended when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some of its benefits include better sleep, better energy and mood, and improved mobility.  

However, you might be doing more harm than good if you are not doing it properly.  

When it comes to working out or exercising, pacing and the intensity of your routines also matter. If you are feeling ill instead of feeling good, there might be something wrong with your workouts.  

Am I Overtraining?  

The World Health Organization recommends children and adolescents do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity. At least 3 days a week should be allotted for muscle-strengthening exercises.  

Meanwhile, adults and older adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity workout. There should also be 2 days of muscle-strengthening activities.  

Intense workouts should be scheduled in your routine properly. Doing too much long and intense workouts can affect the supposed good effects of physical activity.  

Signs of overtraining include:  

• Muscle soreness lasting for more than 2 days  

• Energy loss  

• Decreased immune response  

• Constant fatigue and mood swings  

• Increased injuries  

• Getting tired early in your workout routine  

• Increase in resting heart rate  

• Weight gain  

• Stamina decline  

• Absence of periods for women  

The short-term effects of overexercising include decreased mood and energy levels, leading to sleep problems.  

Increased injuries have also become more common as your body is not getting enough time to rest.  

Meanwhile, the long-term effects of overexercising can damage your heart and your kidneys. Women might experience the absence of their menstrual cycle while men might have decreased sex drive.  

How to Recover from Exercising?  

The first thing to do if you feel like you are overexercising and reverse its effects is to rest.   

Take as much time as you need to return your mood and energy levels to normal.  

Before jumping into your routine after your rest period, you should focus on:  

• Eating right  

• Hydration  

• Quality sleep  

• Gentle stretches  

• Scheduling rest and recovery  

• Avoid working out in extreme environments  

If you are still feeling the negative effects of overexercising, it might be a good indication that you need to visit your doctor to know whether there are underlying conditions that need to be addressed.