Stress in the Gym
Joe Fleming explains how stress hinders progress in the gym and what you can do about it.
These days, most adults (and many kids and teenagers, frankly) are living in a state of chronic stress. Between working long hours and being constantly plugged into social media, cortisol levels are high, and people are often in a fight-or-flight state.
Stress harms several aspects of one's health, from increasing your risk of conditions like heart disease and cancer to impeding your cognitive abilities and hindering your ability to focus and be productive at work.
Chronic, long-term stress can also make it more difficult to lose weight and see results from workouts.
Why does this matter? It may seem trivial compared to the other adverse effects of stress, but remember that exercise is critical in reducing body fat. Being overweight or obese also increases your risk of developing many of the illnesses brought on by stress.
Limiting your stress helps you control multiple variables when it comes to preventing disease—why would you not take advantage of that?
Read on to learn more about the detrimental effects of stress on your workouts and gym progress and tips on how to combat stress and improve your health and performance in and out of the gym.
Your Body on Stress
When you sense danger -- real or imagined -- your body kicks into "fight-or-flight" mode to protect you from the perceived threat. A series of hormones are released in this state, including cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
When these hormones are released, several systems throughout the body are affected, and people tend to experience the following symptoms:
- Increased respiratory rate
- Decreased immune system function
- Increased inflammation
- Tense muscles
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Increased blood sugar
- Slowed digestion
Signs of Chronic Stress
In a healthy person who is not struggling with chronic stress, the symptoms mentioned above (increased heart rate, increased blood sugar, etc.) do not have a lasting effect on the body. Everything returns to normal when the danger has passed, and the person can carry on as usual.
However, in chronically stressed people, these symptoms persist, and the body cannot function properly. It is when signs of illness start to present themselves, and people who are struggling with chronic stress often begin to exhibit the following symptoms:
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Increased feelings of anxiety or depression
- Isolation or loneliness
- Aches and pains
- Digestive issues (diarrhoea, constipation, etc.)
- Nausea or dizziness
- Chest pain or a rapid heart rate
- Low libido
- Frequent illness
- Insomnia or chronic fatigue
- Development of nervous habits (nail-biting, pulling out hair, etc.)
How Stress Impacts Workout Performance
As you can see, chronic stress wreaks havoc on several systems throughout the body. But how do these changes affect one's ability to exercise and see results?
Exercise can simultaneously be a stress reliever and a source of stress. In a healthy person, the temporary stress that exercise induces is good, as it trains the body to be more resilient and responsive. On the other hand, a chronically stressed person will likely not experience the stress-relieving benefits of exercise.
Listed below are some of the specific ways that stress can negatively impact your workout performance:
- Impairs working memory and processing speed, which causes you to fatigue more quickly, both physically and mentally
- It hinders concentration and focus, which affects your ability to make mind-muscle connections and increases your risk of injury
- Impairs motor coordination, which impedes performance, increases injury risk and slows tissue repair post-workout (meaning you will be sorer after exercising and have a harder time building muscle)
- It causes your body to hold onto fat and hinders your ability to lose weight
- Reduces sleep quality, which also increases the likelihood of weight gain and hinders muscle recovery
- Reduces motivation to exercise in the first place
How to Reduce Stress
While many people feel that chronic stress is inevitable, it certainly does not have to be that way. Stress can negatively affect your workouts in various ways. By reducing your stress, you can improve your physical and mental health and start to see improvements in your workouts.
Some of the best ways to reduce chronic stress include:
Lighten Up Your Workouts
Being completely sedentary will not help you reduce stress, but you should also avoid pushing yourself too hard in the gym.
Consider switching up your high-intensity cardio or circuit-training sessions for slow resistance training or restorative practices like yoga.
Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
Caffeine is a stimulant, and if you are already in a chronically stressed state, increasing your heart rate and stress levels with a stimulant is not a good idea.
If you drink several cups of coffee, caffeinated tea, or energy drinks during the day, slowly reduce your intake to give your body a break.
Take a Hot-Cold Shower
Alternating between hot and cold temperatures, usually in the shower or bath, has been shown to work wonders for people struggling with chronic stress, anxiety, and depression.
To utilize alternating temperatures as therapy:
- Alternate between hot and cold water in the shower.
- Please start with the water at a comfortable temperature, then slowly cool it down over five minutes until you can sustain it for 2-3 minutes.
- Continue alternating for the duration of your shower.
Socialize
Spending time with friends and family, especially outdoors, can be incredibly beneficial for people who are feeling stressed.
Research shows that women can benefit from socialising more, as it releases a hormone called oxytocin. This natural stress reliever promotes feelings of closeness and belonging.
Final Thoughts
Chronic stress can significantly hinder gym performance and overall physical and mental health. Follow these tips to reduce stress and improve your quality of life.
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- FLEMING, J. (2018) Stress in the Gym [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article353.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. Passionate about healthy lifestyles and living a full life, he enjoys sharing and expressing these interests through his writing. To inspire others and fight ageism, Joe writes to help people of all backgrounds and ages overcome life's challenges. His work ranges from articles on wellness, holistic health, and ageing to social narratives, motivational pieces, and news stories. For Joe, helping others is vital.