Physical Wellness

9 Signs you are Exercising Too Much

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Sep 01, 2014 02:16 PM EDT

Even though exercising frequently can improve health, there is such a thing as too much exercise. Several studies recently found that too much exercise could lead to dangerous health situations. In order to prevent putting too much strain on the body, people have to be able to detect cues from the body that are telling them to stop.

Here are 9 signs that you are probably overdoing your exercise:

1. Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is common especially if you are exercising vigorously. When you are taking a break, your panting should ideally slow down within one minute. When panting becomes hard to control, it could be a sign that you have worked out too hard and might need to stop.

2. Chest Discomfort

If you are experiencing any kinds of irregular chest pains while exercising, it might be time to go to the doctor's. Check discomfort could be a sign of cardiovascular problems, such as a heart attack or an angina, which is caused by a blockage in the heart's blood vessels. Some signs of chest pain include burning, stabbing, tightness or achiness.

3. Vomiting

Throwing up after a workout can be a sign that you are working out too hard. After each workout, you should not feel nauseous to the point where you have to vomit. If you do, it might be time to reassess your workout regimen.

4. Fever

Exercising while sick can help relieve some symptoms even though it might not be a comfortable task to do. For people who like to stick to their exercise routine, they might continue to work out regardless of how sick they feel. However, experts warn that if you are feverish, exercising can increase your risk of viral myocarditis, which occurs when the heart muscles are inflamed. You should ideally let your body cool down first before gearing up to exercise.

5. Sore Joints

Soreness in general can be a sign that you just had a quality workout. Joint soreness within half an hour after exercising or even during exercise is considered normal. Joints that are still very sore the morning after, however, might be a sign that you have worked out too hard. In addition soreness that impairs your body's ability to function normally might also be a sign that you have to workout less.

6. Performance is not Improving

When you workout using a detailed and planned regimen that slowly increases intensity, you should see an improvement in your overall performance. When performance falls, it could be a sign that you are overtraining. Furthermore, if you notice that you are getting tired a lot faster than you should, you might want to tone your workouts down a notch.

7. Cheating

If you start to cheat during your workouts, it could be a sign that you need to slow down and build strength. Cheating includes sacrificing form to add a few more repetitions in. When you start caring more about quantity over quality, you can seriously injure yourself. Focus more on building strength to be able to perform the reps correctly.

8. Moodiness

When physical activity starts to become a huge burden on the body, your mental status could be affected as well. Exercising too much can increase your risk of developing mood disorders, such as depression. Overtraining can also lead to irritability and moodiness.

9. Changes in Sleep Habits

Exercising just the right amount can help the body relax and sleep easily by bedtime. When you workout too much, however, falling asleep can become harder. A study published in the journal, Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, found that when athletes trained too much, they ended up sleeping less and less efficiently.

The next time you exercise, remember to listen to your body.

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