Many doctors will recommend exercise to improve overall health. However, too much exercise can have negative consequences like excessive weight loss, nutritional deficiency, depression, and anxiety. Exercise should enhance physical stamina, emotional health, and mental clarity.  If you work out regularly but your physical, emotional, and mental health are declining, overtraining may be the culprit. Here are some signs you’re exercising too much.

Delayed Recovery Time

Muscle soreness lasting for hours or days after a workout is a clear indicator that additional rest is needed. Soreness is expected, particularly if you’re new to working out, but it should decrease over time. If you’re experiencing frequent pain with no relief, you may be making matters worse and causing more muscle damage. Consider terminating the workout until your body has completely healed.

Decrease in Performance Level

If your regular exercise routine is difficult, that’s a strong indicator that you need to take a break. When you can no longer lift the heavier weights, complete five to six reps, or do your ideal number of sprints, you need to find out why. An ideal exercise routine should allow you to progress, not regress. Remember, muscles need time to repair themselves, and that’s only possible with adequate rest before starting your next workout.

Longer Periods of Rest

Overtraining can lead to a plateau or decline in fitness levels because the body has burned out. Over-exercising does not give the body time to repair itself and consequently, your muscles become weaker. As a result, the body tries to repair itself, which causes more pain and the inability to function normally.

Loss of Motivation

If you typically like exercising every day, but you no longer have the desire, there’s a good chance you’re overexercising. Sudden and unusual flatlining is a way your body’s telling you it’s time to take a break. Continuously denying yourself of the proper rest will eventually catch up with you. Take a few days off or even a week.

You’re No Longer Improving

With previous workouts, you could increase the bar weights. Now, it’s come to a stop. In fact, it’s getting worse. If this is true, the rest period in between sessions is inadequate. Believe it or not, the body gets stronger at rest. Most medical professionals will recommend that you take two days off from exercising per week and allow yourself a 24-hour rest period in between each workout.

Everyone knows that exercise is beneficial to the body, but too much of anything is not good for you. While many individuals find it hard to maintain a workout routine, others become addicted to working out. As previously noted, an essential part of a workout routine is the recovery period. Therefore, you’re not reaping the benefits of working out if you’re not allowing your body to receive the proper rest.