Breaking into a sweat is one of the best ways to combat stress, with exercising leading to increased endorphin levels which make you forget the worries of the day.
But stress can also sabotage your workout and negatively affect your results in the gym.
According to Ben Bulach, bodyweight training specialist at Freeletics, stress increases your cortisol levels, throws you off your game and hinders your recovery.
It messes with your cortisol levels
Chronic stress leads to higher levels of the hormone cortisol, which negatively affects your fitness in a number of ways – it reduces metabolism and immunity, while impacting sleep rhythms and blood pressure.
Bulach notes that cortisol can also make you crave more sugary and fatty foods, due to feeling excessively tired and rundown.
To combat the affect, make sure you have plenty of sleep, particularly after a workout, so you feel refreshed and energised the next day.
It throws you off your workout
Stress makes you a lot less likely to stick to an exercise regime, as you’d rather relax on the couch with Netflix, or in the pub with friends, than hit the gym.
Even if you do manage to work out, high stress levels will hinder results. “When stress makes exercise become just another thing on your to-do list, the quality of your workout will plummet as you’ll sacrifice technique in favour of getting it done and dusted as soon as possible,” Bulach explains.
He recommends combining your regular exercise with stress management techniques like meditation to calm you down and keep you focused.
It hinders your recovery
Stress also hinders your recovery after a workout.
“It’s normal to feel a bit sore after exercising, but when you’re stressed, the effects are multiplied, as your muscles are stressed too,” the fitness expert explains.
“The mental demands of stress steal valuable resources from your body and leave you feeling more rundown and groggy than usual. When this is combined with a tough workout, it’ll leave you with nothing left in the tank.”
Bulach advises extra rest days to maximise the effectiveness of your training.
It’s not all bad news when it comes to stress levels, as Bulach says that a manageable amount of stress can motivate you in the gym and help you hit your fitness goals.
“A slight increase in cortisol from moderate stress has proven to have a positive impact on performance,” he explains.
“It’s all about your state of mind, and if you use stress to fire up your workout, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.”
Vitamin and mineral-based supplements can often help with your fitness goals. Zinc and protein supplements can increase endurance of your diet is lacking.
