Have you noticed a lack of energy or unusual muscle soreness after your workouts? If so, you might be experiencing something known as overtraining syndrome. You thought your tailor’s bunion was your biggest concern when it comes to your training, but now you’re starting to notice there’s something bigger going on.
While it’s important that you seek the help of a professional if you think you may be experiencing overtraining syndrome, we’re going to offer some advice on how to prevent overtraining syndrome to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
What is Overtraining Syndrome?
Overtraining syndrome is a common occurrence among athletes and people who work out regularly. This happens when people who are frequently pushing their bodies to the extreme don’t allow their bodies and minds an adequate amount of time to recover leading to negative consequences that drastically hinder progress and overall health.
What Are Its Consequences?
The consequences of overtraining syndrome vary from person to person, but they all have one major thing in common which is that it severely impacts one’s ability to train. Overtraining syndrome can manifest in the inability to practice or train, unbearable or new onset of unusual soreness in the muscles, slow recovery, general fatigue, irritability, negative mood, and a decrease in mental clarity or focus.
3 Tips to Prevent Overtraining Syndrome
If you are currently experiencing overtraining syndrome, it’s important that you seek the help of a medical professional and stop all training until you recover properly. However, the good news is that overtraining syndrome is completely preventable. We’re going to offer some tips to prevent overtraining syndrome, so you can train effectively and avoid any of overtraining syndrome’s negative consequences.
1. Take Rest Days
Rest days are crucial when it comes to preventing overtraining syndrome. You should consider rest days as part of your training regimen, instead of viewing it as “time off” or a “lazy day.” Rest days are just as important as the days you spend training. Without proper rest, you don’t give your muscles and mind the time they need to recover which could lead to injury, exhaustion, and potentially experiencing overtraining syndrome.
2. Adequate Sleep
It’s not just important that you take rest days, but you also need to make quality sleep each night a priority. When you sleep, your body is hard at work repairing the muscles torn throughout your training practice. Not only does quality rest help with ensuring your physical health, but it’s also necessary to keep your energy levels and cognitive functions in check. You should aim to get at least 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night.
3. Proper Nutrition
Are you fueling your body the way that you should be? Oftentimes, overtraining syndrome occurs because athletes aren’t eating enough or neglecting to get in an adequate amount of water each day. Athletes need to make a meal plan that fits with their training to make sure their bodies are getting in the nutrients it needs to perform the vigorous and intense training it endures.
