10 Signs That You Are Exercising Too Much

When you exercise too much it is possible that, although we are tired, it is more difficult to sleep. In addition, excessive physical activity leads to other health problems.

Sport is very good for health, and no one can deny that. However, many people become obsessed with their figure and spend hours in the gym exercising too much, regardless of pain or fatigue in the muscles.

One of the mistakes these individuals make is to completely omit that rest is also part of the routine. If you don’t respect it, the body will take its toll on you. Here are the main signs that you are exercising too much.

Too much exercise: the body rebels

Loving sport is perfect because practicing it regularly will never suffer the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight. However, as they say, “extremes are not good”, and spending hours and hours in the gym can be bad for your health, and even counterproductive for the expected results.

This mostly happens to people who are fit and obsessed with their body. Thus, they fall into the error of wanting every last gram of fat to disappear or to build up more and more muscle.

At a certain point, the body “rebels” as the intensity and amount of activity are excessive. It is necessary to understand that the organism also needs your rest, and will ask for it in different ways.

In general, your daily exercise sessions should not exceed 60 to 90 minutes. Besides, in relation to the weekly repetition, a maximum of five times is recommended. However, both factors will depend on the type of exercise performed, as well as the athlete’s condition.

In addition, it is extremely important that you know how to “listen” to the body and know the exact moment when you should stop and give it a break. How do you know? Paying attention to some signs.

Signs of exercising too much

Regardless of what your goal is or what type of training you do, you will increase the loads, speeds and intensities of the exercise as your physical condition improves. However, at some point, the body may begin to ask you to reduce the effort. How? Through these signs that we are going to comment on below.

1. It takes time to recover

This is a clear indication that you have “crossed the line” and that you are training too much. According to a study published by Sports Medicine , an athlete who is not able to fully recover after 72 hours is overtrained.

If you find it difficult to breathe for several minutes, you feel that you lack energy or that your legs or arms do not respond to you, you should reduce the exercise. The lack of recovery is also noticeable when there is pain right after finishing the routine or if you continue to feel thirsty no matter how much you drink water.

2. You have less resistance

Continuing with what was explained in the aforementioned research, when the training is very intense or takes too long, the defenses are weakened instead of being strengthened. Therefore, it takes more time to regenerate “injured” muscle fibers during exercise, as well as to heal from a simple cold.

You may have gotten sick and took longer than usual to recover. Think it could be another sign of too much physical activity.

3. The pulsations increase in the morning

When you exercise a lot, your heart rate changes. According to a publication from the Mayo Clinic site, the resting heart rate decreases in people with good physical shape, since the whole system becomes more efficient and the heart is able to send more oxygenated blood with fewer beats throughout the body.

However, there are irregularities that you should pay attention to. For example, take your heart rate at rest and before you get up each morning. If they are higher in the early hours of the day, it could be a sign of a lot of exercise, as the body is not recovering as it needs to.

Beyond this, the aforementioned Sports Medicine study indicates that a decrease in maximum and submaximal heart rate can also be a consequence of overtraining; this appears to vary by individual.

4. It’s harder to sleep if you exercise too much

Insomnia is a common problem for those who train a lot. The body produces excess stress hormones when you exercise too much. Therefore, when night falls, it is more difficult to fall asleep even if you are very tired.

5. You feel extreme and persistent pain

When any part of your body hurts even at rest — for example, on weekends — you should automatically think about stopping exercising until you recover.

This often happens when workouts are too demanding, repetitive, and in a row — without leaving days for rest. Cramps, tingling or contractures are more present when muscles are overloaded, according to research published in Psychology Research and Behavior Management .

6. You feel general tiredness

Beyond the muscle fatigue that can result from exercising too much, you may feel lacking strength or energy to perform other daily activities, such as working, studying, playing with your pet, cooking, among others. According to a study published by the journal The Physician and Sportsmedicine , this is a clear sign of overtraining.

Also, to this you must add that, if you have concentration, performance or memory problems, it may be because you spend a lot of time in the gym. Like several of the previous points, this is detailed in the Sports Medicine study already discussed.

7. No results are obtained

If your goal was to lose weight, but for a few weeks the needle on the scale has been in the same place, even if you have increased the demand of the routine, it may be precisely due to an excess of exercise. Indeed, when the body is overstressed, the metabolism slows down and it is harder for you to lose weight.

In fact, according to a study published by Sports Medicine in 2003, changes in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins can lead to the latter being used as an energy source, delaying recovery and decreasing reconstruction of muscle tissues.

8. Bad mood is the rule

One of the signs that you are exercising too much is that you are always irritated, grumpy, and angry. While training reduces stress and releases tension, the cited research agrees that when you go beyond normal, you get the opposite effects.

Instead of going to the gym, opt for a more relaxing activity like a soaking bath, watching a movie, or sleeping. Remember: rest is also part of the routine.

9. More sadness and frustration

Some people who train a lot are often depressed and unmotivated from the early days. This is because the results take longer to appear and it seems that all the effort is wasted. However, frustration and sadness are not overcome with more exercise, but with rest and other activities.

10. Other symptoms of exercising too much

Apart from those explained previously, we can highlight other signs of overtraining, such as:

• Be anxious.
• Increase your carbohydrate intake.
• Feel heaviness in the extremities.
• Increase the use of products to lose weight or build muscle.
• Not being able to always perform at the same level  as a consequence of any or more of the negative consequences mentioned.

Too much exercise does not equate to more health

In conclusion, if you exercise too much and do not take into account that rest and respect for the body are also part of the routine, you will reverse all the benefits of physical exercise.

Physical activity is part of a healthy life, but it comes hand in hand with rest, relaxation, and other healthy habits. Therefore, it is important that you know how to listen to your body. Your mind and muscles will be sending you the message of when you need to take a well-deserved break. Afterwards, you will perform even more.