Too much of the gym is bad for you. Here's why

After drugs and caffeine, exercise addiction has now become a real thing. And just like any other addiction, it is more harmful than you think and can lead to certain side-effects.

These side-effects depend on the way you exercise and the amount of exercise you do.

The way you exercise: As you know, there are certain steps to perform a particular exercise. Wrong posture and technique can lead to injuries, even the severe ones like a slipped disc, ligament injury, muscle tear and even worse.

The quantity: These days, exercise addiction or gym obsession (over-exercising in simple words) has become the latest fad. The daily driving snaps have now been replaced with photos and videos of the gym, lifting weights, fitness journey or maybe a tumbler with protein shake.

Exercising is crucial to maintain overall fitness. But when it turns into an addiction, it will do more harm than good.

What is exercise addiction? It is an unhealthy obsession with physical fitness and exercise which often leads to eating disorders or body image concerns.

You may notice the following symptoms if you have an exercise obsession:

• Addicts often exercise more and more for mental and physical satisfaction.
• Small achievements after exercising give more satisfaction than anything else.
• You might develop unrealistic expectations in terms of fitness goals.
• You might engage in exercising even when physically drained.
• You will find yourself less engaged in other activities.

How can it affect your health? Your body might go through these side-effects if you are over-exercising:

1. You might feel tired all the time and your rest of the day-to-day activities might suffer.

2. Your exercise performance will also suffer. As you are over-performing, the energy levels and the calories are being overspent. You might not be able to perform your exercise routine with the same energy. Therefore, as a result, your exercise performance will be affected.

3. Overworked muscles are more prone to injuries. When addicted to exercise, you go too hard on yourself and increase the risk of injuries. The most common injuries are joint pain, back pain and muscle pain. This pain may persist for several weeks. In some cases, one might also require medical assistance.

4. Sleeplessness is also on the list. Exercising in the right quantity relaxes your muscles and helps you sleep better. But over-exercising can do the opposite. It can lead to sleep deprivation which can further lead to many side effects.

What to do?

Consult an expert. Your trainer will help you understand your capacity as per your fitness goals, eating preferences, daily schedule, current fitness status and more.