exercise: why more isn’t always better

It’s no secret that exercise is good for our health: it supports our cardiovascular system, strengthens our bones and muscles, and releases endorphins making us feel great afterward, too. But you absolutely can get too much of a good thing, and this is especially true when it comes to exercise. In this article, I cover 10 different health concerns that can be caused (or exacerbated) by over-exercising, how much is ideal and tips to boost recovery and strength!

HOW DOES OVEREXERCISING AFFECT OUR HEALTH?

I love being active, so it was hard for me to learn how to listen to my body, take more rest days/weeks, and choose gentler types of exercise when my body needs it. But doing so has been such a game-changer for me! My sleep quality has improved, and I feel stronger, less inflamed and healthier overall; basically, everything I thought I’d get from working out more. 

I'm not saying that exercise is bad; it's so important for overall health! And some people might be able to work out more than others without any side effects. The point is that we need to listen to our bodies first and foremost. Trust me: you will get much more out of working with your body than against it!

The information and tips in this article completely transformed my relationship with exercise and improved my health and fitness, which is why I’m so passionate about sharing it with you; I hope it helps you too! 

10 ways overexercising can affect our health: 

1. HPA dysfunction/high cortisol

We often forget that exercise IS stress. When our brain senses stress, the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis produces stress hormones like adrenaline to activate the fight or flight response to deal with the stressor. However, if the stressor persists, our adrenals pump out cortisol, which prolongs the stress response (like a gas pedal in a car); this is actually a positive thing because it keeps us safe and manageable amounts of stress can help to increase alertness and build up our immunity, and resiliency. However, If we’re exercising too much and/or dealing with other stressors (career, relationships, finances, etc.) it can put our bodies into a chronic state of stress, leading to HPA dysfunction. Insomnia, brain fog, dizziness, and feeling easily overwhelmed and ‘tired but wired’ are all signs of HPA dysfunction. Many of the health concerns listed below are a result of this!

2. Underactive/low thyroid

​​The main job of the thyroid gland is to control the speed of your metabolism. We usually hear about our metabolism in the context of weight, but it is so much more than that. Our metabolism is responsible for how our body transforms the food we consume into energy, which all of our cells in our body rely on! So a low-functioning thyroid can really affect all aspects of our health. 

High cortisol levels from overexercising can cause our thyroid to stop producing as much thyroid hormone. It also limits the conversion of the thyroid hormone T4 to the active thyroid hormone T3, resulting in an underactive/low thyroid function. Fatigue, cold sensitivity, constipation, muscle aches and weakness, menstrual issues (more on that below), and dry skin and hair are all signs of low thyroid. 

3. Inflammation

You’ve likely heard of inflammation but might not know what it means. Inflammation is when the body sends cells to defend against an irritant—a key role of the body’s immune defences! Like stress, inflammation can be beneficial in small amounts. However, chronic inflammation can contribute to a wide range of diseases, so it's something we want to be mindful of. 

When we work out, our bones, muscles, and joints undergo microscopic damage, which creates inflammation and sends immune cells, like cytokines, to repair the damage. When we overtrain, this inflammation spreads throughout our body and becomes chronic—no good!

4. Insomnia

Our body repairs the microscopic damage to our muscles caused by exercise when we sleep, creating bigger and stronger muscle fibers. So, if you’re looking to gain strength/improve your fitness, quality sleep is SO important.

Overtraining can mess with our sleep quality in a couple of ways. The cytokine cells (mentioned above) triggered by inflammation can interfere with the function of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, which helps regulate sleep. High cortisol levels can also disrupt our circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall and/or stay asleep. 

It’s easy to see why overtraining can be so counterproductive! It can prevent us from getting quality sleep, leaving us even weaker than before.

5. Missing periods

Female sex hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, are sensitive to the slightest lifestyle changes, and the high stress and low energy availability created by over-exercising is a recipe for missing periods (amenorrhea). To regain our period we need to focus on lifestyle changes that make our body feel safe and well-fed (reducing stress, eating enough food, resting, etc.); over-exercising does the opposite of that!

Our menstrual cycle can be considered the 5th vital sign: it tells us a lot about our overall health. And when our period goes missing, we are susceptible to low bone density and fertility issues, so it’s something to pay attention to.

6. Heavy periods

The connection between over-exercising and heavy periods is probably less common, but super interesting! Our thyroid hormones influence menstruation. And as mentioned above, working out too much can result in low thyroid hormone, causing heavier periods. Probably less common than missing periods, but still something to keep in mind if you notice your period becomes heavier when you're exercising more than usual

7. Poor recovery/loss of muscle 

We don’t get stronger from working out. We get stronger from working out and resting and eating enough food to rebuild our damaged muscles from exercise. And when we work out every day our body doesn't have enough time to rebuild our muscles, leaving us weaker than before; this is why you can build more muscle by working out twice a week and focusing on recovery instead of forcing yourself to work out every day—I know I did!

8. Anxiety/depression

While exercise is great for our mental health, over-exercising can contribute to mental health issues like anxiety and depression due to the excess stress and changes to neurotransmitters in the brain. If we’re more stressed than usual, gentler forms of exercise, like walking or yoga, can be great options to support our mental health.

9. Poor gut health

Our gut health is directly linked to every body system and influences our overall health. Research has shown that the stress caused by over-exercising can lead to a ‘leaky gut’ (when our intestinal lining becomes permeable, allowing the molecules in our gut to pass through into our bloodstream). This results in inflammation, which we already know isn’t a good thing! A few additional signs of a leaky gut are skin issues, brain fog, joint pain, nutrient deficiencies, and food sensitivities. 

10. Iron Deficiency

Since iron plays a role in carrying oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body, people who engage in heavy or excessive exercise are more likely to experience iron deficiency (women are especially susceptible since we lose blood through menstruation each month). Post-exercise inflammation also increases the hormone hepcidin, which regulates iron in the body, and high hepcidin levels can inhibit iron absorption in the intestine (so interesting!) 

SO, HOW MUCH EXERCISE IS IDEAL?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a definitive answer because we’re all different. How much exercise our body can handle will really depend on the person, their health status, and the stage of life they’re in...which is why we can’t compare to what others are doing or even our past selves!

The number one thing we can do is to listen to our body and base our workouts on our unique needs and how our body feels (not what someone else is doing or what we think we should be doing!). Trust me, listening to your body above all else is such a game-changer when it comes to getting the most out of your workout routine.

HOLISTIC STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT HEALTHY MOVEMENT

Now that we’ve established that pushing ourselves more isn’t always better, how do we exercise in a way that actually supports our health? Here are my top tips to reduce cortisol and inflammation while boosting recovery and strength:

1. Listen to your body: I’m repeating this because it is so important! If you feel sore, can barely get through your workouts, are having trouble sleeping, or not getting stronger; you’re likely overdoing it. 

2. Take rest days/weeks: Rest days are productive! Giving your muscles time to rest and repair will get you so much further in reaching your fitness goals, so don’t feel guilty skipping a workout. Again, listen to your body above all else!

3. Get plenty of good quality sleep: As mentioned, our muscles repair when we sleep, so getting plenty of shut-eye is essential to gaining muscle/strength. It’ll also help to keep your cortisol levels in check. 

4. Be mindful of cardio: Cardio is super important for heart health. However, overdoing cardio can put your body into a “catabolic” state, breaking down lean body tissues like our muscles for fuel (more on this below). So if you’re doing a ton of cardio and feeling weaker, you might need to cut back.

5. Mix in gentle forms of movement: Exercise doesn't have to be intense to be beneficial! Even 30 mins of gentle movement like walking, yoga, biking, and swimming can be enough movement to reap the health benefits.

6. Stay hydrated: Dehydration impairs our muscles' ability to repair themselves, so drink plenty of water on both workout and rest days. And if you suspect you're low on electrolytes like sodium, magnesium and potassium, a supplement can be a helpful addition to your workouts—I like LMNT.

7. Try drinking tart cherry juice: This one is a bit more niche, but it works! Drinking tart cherry juice after a workout can help to reduce inflammation, muscle damage and soreness from exercise (try to opt for an all-natural option, free of added sugars).  

8. And of course, prioritize proper nutrition: 

(a) Overall calories: We need to eat enough food if we want to gain strength. When you don’t eat enough, your body goes into a “catabolic” state, breaking down lean body tissues like our muscles for fuel. Eating enough calories is essential to maintaining an anabolic (aka building) state.

(b) Protein: Protein is essential to repairing and growing our muscles, so getting enough quality, complete protein (containing all 9 essential amino acids) is key. How much protein you need will vary depending on factors like activity level, age, height, weight, etc., but a good rule of thumb for women is about 1.1-2.0 g per kg of weight.

(c) Complex carbs: Our muscles use glycogen (the stored version of carbohydrates) as energy to fuel our workouts, so it's super important to replenish it after exercise by eating enough carbs (try opting for complex carbs, like whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit).

(d) Iron: To replenish the iron lost during exercise, eat plenty of iron-rich foods (think: quality red meat, apricots, spinach, etc.) and pair it with vitamin C to boost absorption. 

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