What Are Some Bad Effects From Exercising?
Exercising at least five times a week does no harm to your body. In fact, it helps you stay in shape and improves your heart, blood pressure, weight and mood. Exercising only has bad effects when it is done excessively. Overexerting yourself can hurt every aspect of your life -- mentally, physically and emotionally. The physical damage caused by excessive exercise may even cause permanent damage.
Working out an hour a day improves your heart and reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, hypertension and heart failure. Working out for more than an hour a day will do the opposite. Those who overexert themselves with constant marathons, triathlons and strenuous bike races may cause structural changes of the heart and large arteries. Your heart is at risk for developing an abnormal rhythm -- atrial fibrillation -- artery wall stiffening and patchy scarring.
Weakened Immune System
Just like it can do to your heart, exercising too much weakens your immune system. Those who work out at a normal rate have a weakened immune system that lasts between three to 24 hours after working out, while those who over exercise have a weakened immune system for a longer amount of time. Your body becomes exhausted and can't fight off illnesses or help prevent you from a cold, cough or fever. Instead, you actually become more prone to developing an illness because of the constant fatigue. Some who run marathons have been shown to develop infections that last weeks after the race is finished.
Usually exercise helps use your energy, which then allows you to sleep better at night. If you're working out excessively, especially close to the time you sleep, your body won't have time to unwind and settle down for bed. You might feel jittery and stressed because of all the workouts you're putting yourself through. Stress releases a high level of cortisol -- energizing hormones -- that will keep you alert, awake and tossing and turning all night long.
Exercising too much puts those who do so at risk for depression. With all the exercise you're doing, your body becomes exhausted and fatigued. Your body then releases the same kind of stress hormones -- cortisol -- released when you're emotionally stressed, but this time from being physically drained. Overtraining also affects the blood levels of neurotransmitters, including glutamine, 5-HTP and dopamine. Licensed acupuncturist Chris Kresser notes on his website that the affected blood levels trigger feelings of depression and recurring fatigue.
Allison Amy resides in North Jersey where she is a journalism and psychology major at Rutgers University. She writes articles about fitness and well-being and has has an internship doing so. Her articles have appeared on shrinktheplanet-weightloss.com.