And while not getting enough exercise is the bigger issue for most Americans (a group of cardiologists wrote a review on the topic in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in January 2016), exercising too much can be a problem, too. RELATED: The Health Benefits of Exercise “Overexercising is counterproductive and can actually be dangerous to your health,” says David Miranda, a physical therapist and owner of Excel Rehabilitation Services in Gonzales, Louisiana. But how do you know if you are pushing too far too fast? Here’s what Miranda and other fitness pros say.
What Are the Ways You Can Overexercise?
Current guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week, in addition to strength training. But it’s important to point out that the guidelines also mention that there’s no specific upper limit when exercise benefits cease to exist. And the guidelines don’t specify if there’s an upper limit when larger amounts of exercise are unsafe. RELATED: How Much Exercise Do You Really Need? And many endurance and professional athletes safely perform many more hours of physical activity per week than the guidelines set as the minimum. There is controversy, however, among sport medicine researchers if there is even a point at which too much exercise ever becomes harmful in ultra-endurance athletes, according to a review published in 2019 in the journal AIMS Public Health. Other research suggests though that there is no upper limit for healthy adults in terms of how much aerobic activity benefits the heart. So when is too much exercise too much? According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there are primarily two main ways you can overdo it on exercise:
Overtraining
Overtraining is when you’re pushing yourself too hard too quickly. “Factors such as the intensity, duration, and length of workouts need to be eased into and increased gradually,” says Mark Slabaugh, MD, an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon with orthopedics and joint replacement at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Overtraining usually results from not giving yourself enough rest (or full rest days off from exercise completely) in between workouts, not getting adequate nutrition for the exercise you’re doing, not getting enough sleep, exercising too intensely, or not cutting back on workouts when you are sick or faced with too many other stressors. “Nutrition is often a huge factor in overexercising,” Dr. Slabaugh adds. Athletes of every level need to get the nutrition they need to sustain their workouts, even if an exercise program is part of a weight loss plan. “For those wishing to lose weight and workout, a gradual reduction in calories over time all the while maintaining key nutrients is the key to success,” Slabaugh says. RELATED: What to Eat Before and After Your Workout Overtraining can also result from trying to ramp up a training program too quickly. A beginner weightlifter, for example, should not be doing multiple types of bench presses five to seven days a week, says Oluseun Olufade, MD, an assistant professor of orthopedics at Emory School of Medicine, explains. “It will increase risk of shoulder injury.”
Compulsive Exercising
Compulsive exercise, according to the NIH, is when exercise no longer feels like an activity you choose to do, but becomes an activity you feel you have to do (or it becomes addictive). People who are compulsive exercisers might notice that exercise is no longer enjoyable — or that they feel guilty or anxious if they don’t exercise.
Signs of Overexercising: How You Can Tell if You’re Working Out Too Much
“Overexercising is typically encountered in people who go from not exercising at all to trying too aggressively to get into shape or lose weight,” Slabaugh says. It not necessarily about the total quantity of exercise you’re doing — it’s upping the intensity too quickly. From overtraining to compulsive exercising, there are numerous ways you can overdo it. Individuals who overexercise tend to experience similar signs and symptoms, which include:
Extended Muscle Soreness Muscle soreness after a workout should last three days, four at the most, Miranda says.Decreased Immune Response Getting sick more than usual is a sign of overtraining, according to Miranda.Increased Injuries Frequent or recurring injury is usually a sign something is wrong, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE).Constant Fatigue, Irritability, and Low Energy Being exhausted may signal you are pushing your body too far, too fast, according to ACE.Getting Tired Early in Your Workout Premature muscle fatigue is (usually) a sign something is wrong, Miranda says.Hitting Performance Plateaus or Declines Not bouncing back after a workout or making progress could be a sign you are pushing your body too far, too fast, notes the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City.Increase in Resting Heart Rate Frequent exercise should lower a person’s resting heart rate, but overexercising can have the opposite effect, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). An increase could be a sign of a serious problem or a cardiovascular change.Prioritizing Workouts Above All Else Ditching or avoid social activities to workout usually signals there is a compulsion or an unhealthy work-life balance, Miranda explains.Depression or Anxiety Exercise is (and should be) a mood booster, but too much can leave you feeling sad or lethargic. Those struggling with overexercising disorder may also feel anxious and nervous at the thought of missing a workout, according to ACE and HSS.
RELATED: Post-Workout Muscle Recovery: How to Let Your Muscles Heal and Why
Why Is Overexercising Risky?
Overexercising is risky because it can lead to numerous short- and long-term health problems.
In the Short Term
Overexercising can have significant effects on mood and energy levels. According to NASM, the fatigue and low energy associated with overexercising can cause irritation, anger, problems with sleep, problems with school or work, and lack of enjoyment of your typical interests and hobbies. “One of the biggest red flags that you are doing too much, too fast is an elevated resting heart rate, loss of or change in appetite, or mood changes,” Leada Malek, a doctor of physical therapy in San Francisco, explains. “Sleep disturbances can also occur.” You can also increase risk of injuries, like stress fractures, muscle strains, runner’s knee, joint pain, tendinitis, and bursitis, according to Northwestern Medicine. “When the body doesn’t have time to heal, athletes risk getting overuse injuries, like tendonitis, fatigue, or tendon tears,” Slabaugh explains. It increases risk of future injuries, too, he says. RELATED: The Relationship Between Fitness and Mood
Over the Longer Term
Over the longer term, overexercising can cause damage to the kidneys and heart, Dr. Olufade adds. “It’s important to consider that there are other serious consequences of overexercising, such as rhabdomyolysis — which can occur when you work out too much,” Olufade explains — and that’s in terms of either time or intensity. Rhabdomyolysis is a serious (and potentially fatal) medical condition, whereby damaged muscle tissue releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood, which can damage the heart and kidneys, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you think you may have rhabdomyolysis after intense exercise, you should seek medical care urgently. Women may experience a loss of menstruation or early onset osteoporosis with consistent overexercising. Men, on the other hand, may experience a decreased sex drive as a result. And over time, overexercising can compromise the immune system, too, according to the NIH — particularly when it comes to long-term endurance exercise, like marathon running or intense gym training. And there is evidence that over time overexercising can contribute to or exacerbate mental health conditions, such as depression, OCD, or anxiety, according to a study published in December 2015 in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
What Can You Do if You Find Yourself Overexercising?
While overexercising can be problematic, the good news is that you can reverse the effects of overexercising. “The first thing you can (and should) do is to rest,” Slabaugh says. Take one to two weeks off training completely, which may be long enough for mood, energy levels, and motivation to return to typical levels for you, according to the NIH. If you’re still experiencing symptoms of overtraining after taking that much time off, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor to see if you need to take more time off or if there’s any underlying problem that needs to be addressed. After you’ve taken this time off and as you return to training, make sure you’re taking steps to not jump right back into an overexercising routine. You’ll want to focus on:
Eating Well You’ll want to nourish your body with the calories you need for how active you are. “Make sure you are eating a balanced nutritious diet,” Slabaugh adds.Hydration Hydration is important for many key bodily processes, and you need extra hydration when you exercise. Staying hydrated can also help ease muscle train and pain.Sleep Getting plenty of sleep at night helps ensure your body has the energy it needs to get through the workouts you want to do. The National Sleep Foundation recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night.Leaving Time for Rest and Recovery The NIH recommends taking at least one day off from exercise per week and leaving at least six hours in between workouts for adequate recovery.Not Overdoing It Avoid exercising in extreme heat or cold, which is more taxing to the body. And cut back on exercise when you’re coping with a lot of other stressors in your life, according to the NIH.
