15 signs you're overtraining, and how to recover
Fact: more is not always more. If you’re looking to get fitter or stronger, hitting the gym harder than ever isn’t the way to go. I know all too well how overtraining can backfire – after excessively running without sufficient rest, recovery and nutrition, I was left with a pelvic stress fracture that ruled me out of exercise for 17 months.
What’s more, studies have shown that females are at a higher risk of overtraining than males, due to the hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout the menstrual cycle – a drop in estrogen, for example, can exacerbate fatigue.
So, what exactly is overtraining, what are the symptoms to keep an eye on, and how can you recover?
What is overtraining?
Overtraining syndrome is defined as, ‘A maladapted response to excessive exercise without adequate rest, resulting in perturbations of multiple body systems (neurologic, endocrinologic, immunologic) coupled with mood changes,’ says Sports Health.
It’s not just about feeling slightly more tired than usual, it’s a clinical diagnosis that, according to Human Kinetics Journals, is characterised by reduced performance, fatigue and mood disturbances, and in most severe cases, recovery can take months or years.
15 overtraining symptoms
1.Sleep disturbances
Struggling to fall, or stay, asleep? A study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise compared a group of overtrained triathletes to a ‘normal’ training group and found that those in the overtraining group experienced a decrease in sleep duration, sleep efficiency and immobile time (how long they were still for throughout the night – the decrease showed that they spent longer fidgeting while asleep). The authors concluded that overtraining caused an increase in sleep disturbances.
2. Poor muscle recovery
Extended DOMS and persistent muscle soreness and fatigue have been shown to come from overtraining since it can cause chronic oxidative stress and inflammation in your muscles.
3. A change in heart metrics
Studies have shown that an elevated resting heart rate could be indicative of overtraining. Another study found that a reduced heart rate variability (HRV) was seen soon after waking in overtrained athletes, compared to a control group of regular exercisers. The researchers explained that a high HRV signals that your body is overloaded with stress, and that your nervous system is in sympathetic mode – also known as ‘fight or flight’.
4. Mental fatigue
According to the journal Current Biology, excessive training may not lead only to physical fatigue, but the mental kind too. The study looked at triathletes and found a reduction in activity in an area of the brain – the lateral prefrontal cortex – that controls executive functions such as decision-making, thinking and reasoning, meaning they took longer to make decisions, and also chose outcomes that offered immediate reward, as opposed to long-term benefits.
5. Lack of appetite or weight loss
When the journal Nutrients set out to investigate the link between overtraining and a decrease in appetite, it found that the physiological stress from excessive exercise decreases levels of grehlin (the hormone responsible for hunger), leading the participants to inadvertently lose weight.
6. Frequent colds and illnesses
Feel like you’re getting sick more than usual? Research reported in Elite Performance Running: From Middle Distance to Marathon has shown that more than 90 minutes of high-intensity exercise can make athletes susceptible to illness for up to 72 hours post-session, since the body produces certain hormones that lower immunity.
Other research has found that repeated bouts of strenuous exercise is associated with suppressed immune function, increased symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, latent viral reactivation and impaired immune responses to vaccines.
7. Higher perceived effort for the same sessions
Struggling to maintain the same pace or intensity of your workouts could be a sign you’re overtraining. One study found that this occurs when there is an increase in activity of an enzyme in your muscles know as plasma creatine kinase, which occurs following muscle damage through overexercising. The research found that an increased rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was a consequence.
8. Loss of motivation
If your interest in exercise is waning beyond the point of a few odd days that you ‘don’t fancy it’ and into a feeling of heavy dread, know that studies have shown this could be a sign you’ve been overtraining. According to the European Journal of Sport Science, a decrease in self-determined motivation was linked to burnout in elite athletes.
9. Increased anxiety
The journal Biology compared the physiological and psychological outcomes of a group of rats who endured eight weeks of exhaustive treadmill exercises daily to a sedentary group and found that those who overexercised experienced increased anxiety. The researchers put this down to an increase in inflammatory cytokines and immune cells, which caused a hormonal imbalance. Granted, the study was performed on animals, but anecdotal evidence supports the idea that this applies to humans, too.
10. Low libido
A reduced sex drive could be down to overtraining, as per Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Researchers examined survey data on exercise habits and libido in men and found that those with the lowest intensity workouts were almost seven times more likely to have a normal or high libido. Similarly, those who exercised least were four times more likely to have a high or normal libido. The 47 per cent of men with the lowest libido reported exercising more than ten times per week.
11. Anaemia
Iron-deficiency anaemia has been proven in many studies to be common among female endurance athletes. In particular, the prevalence in female marathon runners is as high as 28 per cent, compared to 11 per cent in the general female population. One study looked into the mechanisms behind exercise-induced iron-deficiency in women and found that it can be caused by oxidative stress, increased pro-inflammatory markers, and iron loss due to excessive sweating. Other research suggested that overtraining hinders iron absorption. Anaemia comes with its own symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, headaches and heart palpitations.
12. Lightheadedness
Pushing yourself too hard can cause your blood pressure to drop, or result in dehydration. The upshot is that you feel lightheaded or faint. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, when your muscles contract during exercise, blood is pumped back to your heart. As your workout ends, your blood pools in your muscles to help them recover, leaving less blood in your heart. Your blood vessels may also remain dilated for a short while after a workout, which also lowers blood pressure.
13. Missed periods
Irregular periods or missed periods can mean that your body is struggling to meet the energy demands for both the workouts that you’re doing, and the adaptations required to potentially carry a baby. Missing a period for three months or longer is defined as hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) – a condition where your hypothalamus, the communication and control centre in your brain, shuts down your reproductive system. Research suggests this is caused by high stress and/or low energy availability – when you don’t consume enough calories for the physical demands on your body.
Research in the journal Clinical Therapeutics found that athletes have a higher incidence of HA, since excessive exercise has a significant impact on the menstrual cycle. The authors of the study explained that HA occurs ‘when energy stores fail to meet the energy requirements of the body’, meaning lower levels of the hormones needed for the menstrual cycle are produced. They added that the more stress on the body, the more the secretion of these hormones will be inhibited.
14. Digestive issues, like diarrhoea or constipation
Exercising intensely for two or more hours at 60 per cent of your maximum intensity level has been proven to cause gut problems, like cramps, heartburn, bloating, nausea and flatulence. The journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that this happens since strenuous exercise damages cells in your intestine and causes toxic substances to leak through your weakened gastrointestinal walls and into your bloodstream.
15. Skin breakouts
Your skin, hair and nails may also struggle as a sign of overtraining. Research shows that consistently high cortisol from the stress your body experiences with excessive exercise can trigger your skin’s sebaceous glands to produce more oil, meaning clogged pores and breakouts. Other research shows that elevated cortisol could cause a flare-up in inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. Why? Experts say the amino acids usually provided to your hair, skin and nails are redirected to your muscles after excessive exercise.
How to recover from overtraining
The good news is that research shows that you can recover from overtraining with just four-six weeks of adapting your exercise approach, so while it’s crucial that you address your symptoms as soon as possible, know that it’s certainly not too late. Use this expert advice for recovering from excessive exercise.
Analyse and optimise your rest: How many hours sleep do you get? How long does it take you to fall asleep? How often do you wake up during the night? How refreshed do you feel when you wake up? Aim for seven-nine hours sleep per night, and practice solid sleep hygiene by waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day, to regulate your circadian rhythm.
Monitor your HRV: The lower your HRV, the more stress your body is under.
Deload weeks: You’ll likely need more than one deload week to fully recover but record a diary of symptoms after each week, and only implement light exercise (see below), once you feel up to it. As symptoms have fully subsided and you begin to resume exercise, implement a deload week each month for the first three-four months.
Take regular rest days: During recovery, start with a full deload week (or more), then – if you feel up to it – take at least four rest days per week, and focus on low-impact exercise such as yoga, Pilates, walking and swimming. Once symptoms have subsided, stick to at least three rest days per week, leaving at least one day between training different muscle groups, if you work with workout splits.
Reduce the length of your workouts: Following the necessary number of deload weeks for symptoms to ease, stick to 10–20-minute workouts for the first two months. Gradually increase by five-ten minutes, until you reach 45-minute workouts. Any longer than 45 minutes probably isn’t necessary, unless you’re participating in a low-impact group class, such as yoga or Pilates.
Reduce the intensity of your workouts: As you begin to resume exercise, stick to low-impact and low-intensity exercise such as walking, yoga, Pilates or swimming. This will help stabilise cortisol levels.
Increase your calories: Whether you’re experiencing fatigue or missed periods, upping your calorie intake will help you recover. Speak to a GP or nutritionist for personalised recommendations – this will depend on your weight, height, age, gender, and lifestyle factors.
Practice mindfulness: Regular meditation and journalling can help level out your cortisol and manage stress.
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