By Elena Voropay

You are active, physically fit, manage to exercise daily, go to the gym a few times a week, eat well - everything seems to be in order. Then how come you feel tired and stressed most of the time? Interestingly, the answer to the problem and its solution lies in how much exericse and exactly when you do it. It is true: Substantial research has shown that physically fit and active individuals are capable to handle stress better than those who are inactive. Taking time for exercise may do more for your resistance to stress than a week's vacation. But exercise just a little more than your body needs, and you end up sick in bed with poor immunity, feeling tired, weak, underslept, and in serioius need of some rest. Don't forget that pressures of work and every day living doubles the effect.

Whether the tension is mental or physical, your body reacts to stressors with physiological mechanisms by increasing the flow of certain hormones. The body's first reaction to any potentially harmful demand is to prepare for action. It gets ready to face danger or to run away (a.k.a. "fight or flight" response). The two major areas affected are the heart and the muscles. The heart starts pumping more blood to the muscles which make the body ready for physical action. The lungs now provide more oxygen to the muscles for energy and to the brain for alertness. Stored sugars and fats are released into the blood, but because of the overriding need of the muscles, the blood flow to some organs, such as those of the digestive system, is cut off.

In an effort to avoid dealing with stress some people turn to alcohol or drugs or seek comfort in bingeing on food. Such self-destructive escape mechanisms usually only make the situation worse and add to the already existing level of pressure. One of the greatest ways to deal with stressor is engaging in any kind of physical activity. Several studies have shown that exercise reduces feelings of anger and frustration, anxiety, irritability, muscle tension, and depression - all indicators of constant worry - for at least several hours and, possibly, much longer. Dealing with stressor through physical action reverses your body's biochemical preparation and relaxes the system. Otherwise, you stay "wound up" attracting more stressors.

Recognizing Pressure

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you have a feeling of being backed into a corner with nowhere to go?
Is your life getting monotonous and you have no energy or even desire to change that?
You're your eating and sleeping patterns changed?
Are you drinking or smoking more?
Are you not as creative as you used to be?
Do you find yourself getting upset or stressed over something that normally would not bother you?
Positive answers to these questions indicate a high level of stress that needs to be recognized better sooner than later.

Many people believe that they need less stress in their lives. While some types of tension should clearly be avoided and minimized if at all possible, if we had a stress free existence, life would be bland indeed. A certain amount of pressure is needed to keep you alert and motivated. But more is not always better. Too much stress is linked with the development of a variety of illnesses.

Symptoms of stress

• feelings of fatigue, tiredness, or exhaustion
• muscle tension
• anxiety or nervousness
• indigestion
• sleeplessness (insomnia)
• changes in appetite (increased or decreased)
• grinding teeth/clenching jaws
• feeling weak or dizzy
• constant or recurring headaches, stomach ache, or back pain

Factors that determine stress thresholds include personality, self-discipline, and the discipline imposed by the situation.

Solution

• First of all, take a week off from training to let your muscles recover.
• The longer the overtraining has occurred, the more rest required. Therefore, early detection is very important. If overtraining has only occurred for a short period of time (e.g., 3 weeks) then interrupting training for 5 days is usually sufficient rest. But if overreaching was taking place for months, two or more weeks of recovery is needed. After this, workouts can be resumed on an alternate day basis.
• The combination of active rest, adequate sleep and proper diet is the best treatment. Active rest does not mean stopping all activity. Modify your training schedule by decreasing frequency, intensity, duration and type of exercises. Or better yet, do some kind of light aerobic activity using low intensity level.
• Don't forget to pay particular attention to get enough carbohydrates after every exercise session. As a matter of fact, if you are keeping yourself on a low-carb diet in pursuit to lose weight, you most definitely will find yourself weak, tired, overtrained and sick. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source your muscles cry for, and not getting enough of them after an exercise session will disturb your mineral balance, impair immune function, and may cause havoc on your digestive system. Even when watching your weight can be a good thing, chronically depleted muscle and liver glycogen stores from insufficient carbohydrate consumption is something you want to stay away from. As a consequence, the most heavily recruited muscle fibers are not able to generate the energy needed for exercise. Research has shown that one common supplement, the carbohydrate drink, can lessen the harmful effects of exhaustive exercise on immune system.
• A well-planned training program involves as much art as science and should allow for individual variability. Try to learn how your body responds to stress, pay attention to how you feel, keep accurate and detailed records of your training schedule, and, most importantly, don't be afraid to take an occasional or even frequent day off. It is up to you to decide where to draw your own line.
• The final word on the link between exercise and health is not in yet, but there's now evidence that exercise intensity may be a key factor. Unfortunately, pushing yourself too hard often slows your progress. Rest is a vital part of any athlete's training. Watch for early warning signs of overtraining and make adjustments accordingly. Concentrate on working out on a regula

Remember, balance and moderation are the true keys to success, and exercise is just one of the areas that falls into the 'positive intention' category. If a little bit is good for you, a little more can be better, but a lot of it can literally kill you.