Overtraining syndrome: what it is and how to avoid it

Pushing your body to reach new levels of fitness requires commitment and effort that are intense and challenging.

But without the right balance of rest and recovery you could end up with a long-term fatigue condition called overtraining syndrome.

Common symptoms include:

• Long-term decrease in sports performance
• Less motivation to exercise
• Low mood
• Muscle soreness, aches and pains
• Loss of good quality sleep
• General tiredness or fatigue

Symptoms can vary wildly from person to person. Other life stresses, such as working long hours, difficult relationships, dieting, and not getting enough sleep, can accelerate the syndrome.
The only reliable method to assess if you have overtraining syndrome is to track how long it takes you to recover. If you bounce back after a week or two, you probably weren't overtraining.