After a seemingly never-ending lockdown, it feels good to be back to our “normal life” activities. And of course, some of these involve resuming our sporting initiatives, whether professional or just for personal fitness, fun, ambitions, and so on!
Alongside the freedom and motivation to get back in shape after this overwhelming period, the likelihood of overtraining also becomes more common.
“Overtraining Syndrome” (OTS) or burnout, happens when continuous or increased training leas to fatigue and declining performance. This happens as the muscles, exposed to stress and injuries during training, do not get the chance to regenerate adequately, therefore the body is redirecting its resources and energy towards the necessary healing process, instead of aiding performance or desired physical gains.
Overtraining is a serious matter that shall be addressed as soon as identified, and can result in both mental and physical health consequences such as: frequent injuries, mood changes, decreased motivation, insomnia, and even infections.
It is important to note that both athletes and regular people can struggle in this sense.
Below we will present the 5 most common side effects of overtraining alongside a checklist of remedies and suggestions for improvement, as presented in most recent studies.
Frequent Injuries
- Medical doctor consultation and potential treatment
- Massage therapy (differers from relaxation massage)
- Acupuncture
- Phototherapy
- Resting
Mood Changes
- Consulting a psychotherapist
- Keeping a mood diary
- Self-reflection
- Meditation
- Practicing mindfulness
- Dietary adjustments
- Resting
Decreased Motivation
- Keeping a gratitudes and achievements diary
- Setting up a short list of clear, measurable goals
- Creating an action plan in accordance with the goals
Insomnia
- Consulting a medical professional
- Schedule adjustments based on body’s circadian rhythm
- Dietary adjustments
- Dietary supplements and / or medication (as advised only by a certified medical professional)
- Avoiding naps and caffeine after 4 pm
Infections
- Consulting a medical professional
- Topical and / or oral medication (as advised only by a certified medical professional)
- Dietary adjustments
- Dietary supplements
- Resting
This was our checklist including the most essential and effective remedies in the case of dealing with OTS. In order to treat the side effects, noticeable from above, resting is the most common and successful method. If resting isn’t sufficient or if even one of the symptoms is considerably persisting or intervening in one’s daily life, then a medical professional shall be consulted, in order to avoid further injury.
Very importantly is mentioning that although the effects of OTS are both physical and mental, as mentioned above, the causes of overtraining are mostly linked to the mental dimension of an individual. In this case, resting on its own, or even medical assistance, may not be a sustainable solution, since the root of the issue is not addressed. We recommend focusing on identifying the inner drive factor that fuels this tendency (e.g., certain insecurities, social environment, ranking of the team, expectations from oneself or social circle). Most times psychotherapists, especially those specialised in the field of sports psychology, can help people navigate through this matter more easily and provide the support needed to identify, tackle, and overcome the underlying causes of OTS, replacing them with productive, sustainable training habits.
Thank you for visiting our page! Hope you all have great training sessions, listen to the signs of your body, and take as much time off you as need! Looking forward to seeing you again here – full of energy and well rested – on our next article!
