#takingrest

The mental health charity MIND is reminding people that while exercise is a good thing, some people are taking it too far, often as an antidote to the stress and anxieties of life and keeping fit can then become an obsession.

Over-training the body without taking time to rest can impact both physically and mentally and lead to a condition known as over-training syndrome.

MIND says signs of over-exercising can include:

You can’t stop exercising without feeling distressed;

Exercise is affecting your job or relationships;

You don’t take breaks despite feeling tired, injured, or unwell;

You’re exercising hard every day, or several times a day;

You’re making excuses to be active;

You feel that physical activity is the most important thing in your life.

The best approach is to avoid getting to that stage in the first place by setting realistic goals, especially ones that aren’t based around your weight or shape, trying some low impact exercise like walking, yoga or stretching, or a similar activity that doesn’t work your muscles too hard.

The best way to help prevent overtraining syndrome is to follow a training schedule that varies your training and includes rest days and to remember not every day will lead to a personal best, and that’s okay. Above all be kind to yourself.

The first step for treatment is recognising that you have the condition. The only effective treatment for excessive over-training is rest. Whether the rest period lasts weeks or months depends on the individual in conjunction with professional advice. The specialists recommend continuing to participate in low intensity exercise but choosing activities unrelated to the sport that led to your burnout.

Whenever you’re engaged in any physical activity, it is important to listen to your body. Notice when you may be working too hard and give yourself permission to rest. Exercise is addictive, because the more it releases the good endorphins, and the more results you see, the more you want to continue to exercise. Addictive isn’t good. It’s also dangerous.

Source: https://www.verywellfit.com   https://www.livestrong.com   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news

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