Been Tired and Stressed need opinions
I didn’t realize just how much stress can make you tired until this week. I had a long weekend with some things going on and it totally has drained me.
I never despite all my things going on realized how much of a toll it took on your system, then yesterday after doing a workout, that while good wasn’t up to my typical standard, I had reached a point of meltdown. My body was finished and I sat starring for a few moments, feeling very ill almost to the point of passing out.
It was pretty scary, but I was just so drained. Last night I slept, but again this morning I didn’t feel like I had slept enough. The only thing that has changed has been my stress levels, what gives?
Anyone have suggestions as to how to break through this stress and tired funk?
August 5, 2008 at 10:58 am
My wife and I have experienced the exact same thing.
My wife (bodyspace: judimax) has Lupus and Fibromyalgia which is an energy draining autoimmune disease and body fatiguing condition and while she knows the feeling of having to fight through these to have enough energy for her workouts she started feeling nauseous and dizzy, to the point of almost passing out.
I on the other hand have been able to power through my workouts and have been setting all sorts of personal bests until one day when there was less strength and like you my workout was still good it was far from the norm. This kept up for almost two weeks before I started feeling very run down and had flu like symptoms (sore throat etc.).
After analyzing all aspects of our program right from diet to sets, reps, weights and cardio routine we came up with what seems to be the root cause. We have overworked ourselves or fallen into the trap of overtraining.
The cure? Take at least one full week off from working out. No cardio, no weights and we even cut back on how strictly we watched our diet and added more carbs and good fats.
What we did was take time off and wait until we felt strong and ready. My wife started back doing cardio yesterday and I do not yet feel fully recovered so I will be waiting until Thursday which will make it 11 days for me.
Each of us are individual and you may feel strong and ready sooner or maybe like me it will take a couple of days more but in the long run it will be a worthwhile thing to take time off.
Since I have been off I have done some research and have found out that it is recommended that every 8 to 12 weeks people should take time off from working out so that they can give their systems a chance to heal and recharge and that especially includes their nervous systems, as we put an enormous amount of stress on all parts of our body and mind when we are working out hard.
August 5, 2008 at 11:15 am
I go through this frequently. I have a grueling life with three kids, (teenagers) a graduate program, and until recently a full time job and health problems. I quit the job becuase it was ruining me with the stress of a toxic workplace and am looking for another but closer to home and less hours. I took all last week off to go camping and aside from walking and swimming I did none of the usual hard training and now I feel recovered enough to workout. If you feel ill or exhausted you need rest and or more calories. Try some more fat calories for a day or two even or more rest. Either way your body is telling you and will continue to tell you when it needs a rest. Good luck to you and remember that after a year of training you will learn to recognize your bodies rhythms and patterns.