The Perils of Overtraining Syndrome

The worst news about overtraining syndrome is that it’s not just in your body; it’s in your mind. It is, as Gretchen Reynolds writes in the New York Times Play Magazine,  "similar in many physiological and psychological respects to chronic-fatigue syndrome and major depression, but exactly like neither." Reynolds tells us that overtraining strikes indiscriminately, felling both endurance and
strength athletes, and that  by some estimates, up to 60 percent of competitive athletes overtrain at
some point. What to do if you suspect that you’re suffering from overtraining  syndrome? One, read this piece. Two, rest, rest, and more rest.
How do you know if you’re suffering from overtraining syndrome? Reynolds offers these clues:
Fatigue that persists for more than 72 hours after a workout, often accompanied by insomnia.
Muscle pain and weakness that persist for more than three days.
Irritability, anxiety, depression.
A rise in resting heart rate. Track yours by wearing a heart-rate monitor to bed.
A dramatic drop-off in performance for no obvious reason.
“Heavy legs,” or the feeling that your lower limbs, once springy and quick, have turned to stone.
A loss of appetite, which exacerbates fatigue by sapping the body’s fuel stores.
Disruptions in the menstrual cycle.
Cuts and bruises that heal slowly; overtraining might suppress your immune system.
Falling levels of ferritin — a protein complex that stores iron — as revealed by blood work.
Not many colds. True, it’s not normally a sign that you need to see a doctor, but
athletes are more likely to overtrain if they manage to avoid viruses.
A cold ruthlessly forces the body to slow down and thus prevents
overtraining.
Read more in the New York Times.