Signs you are overtraining

A person would normally think that if a little exercise is good for you,more must be better. But there is a tipping point beyond which the amount of exercise you do, can do more harm than good. This is overtraining and happens when you exercise too much without recovery or when you are underfueling. Following are some signs that you may be overtraining-

1. Decreased performance:

Lack of improved performance despite an increase in training intensity or volume is a big sign. This includes decreased strength,endurance,slower reaction,reduced running speeds.

2. Increased perceived effort during workouts:

A clear sign of this is an abnormally elevated heart rate during exercise. If you are overtraining, it may take you longer to return to your normal heart rate.

3. Excessive fatigue:

A few days of fatigue is expected. But it starts to accumalate in the body when the body does not recover fully from previous workouts. The body starts pulling from its own energy stores. This may happen when you are not eating or sleeping enough.

4. Agitation and moodiness:

Overtraining affects your stress hormones-cortisol and epinephrine. This causes mood swings,unusual irriatbility and an inability to concentrate.

5. Insomnia or restless sleep:

Sleep is a time for the body to repair itself. But overproduction of stress hormones may not allow the body to relax making sleep much less effective.

6. Loss of appetite:

Hunger and satiety mechanisms are also affected by the hormonal imbalances caused by overtraining.

7. Chronic or nagging injuries:

Overtraining taxes all of the body’s systems and makes it difficult to ward off injuries. Overused muscles can cause constant aches or joint pain.

8. Metabolic imbalances:

It may lead to deficiencies like iron deficiency anemia. It can also cause cardiovascular,nervous and reproductive system problems. In women, there may be menstrual cycle disturbances.

9. Psychological stress and depression:

Raised stress levels on the long run could seriously harm your mind leading to depression and other mental illnesses.