Overtraining: The Trap of “Always Wanting to Do More”

More weekly workouts, more weight lifted, more kilometers run: sometimes we think that the more we do, the more we improve. It works… up to a point. But sometimes, that same logic backfires. That’s when we talk about overtraining. Is there really a risk to “too much” training? Spoiler alert: yes, and it can affect beginners just as much as Olympic athletes. When do we say someone is overtraining? How can you avoid it? Let’s take a closer look.

A Multifactorial Phenomenon

Overtraining can result from excessive strength training, endurance training, or physical activity in general, but also from a traumatic event, significant stress, or illness¹. And not everyone handles this strain in the same way: age, gender, hormones, genetics, sleep, and diet all affect a person’s ability to recover.

Sleep and diet: the forgotten factors

Are you getting enough sleep, and is it good quality sleep? Most people answer “no” to both questions. The artificial light from screens in the evening delays the onset of sleep².On the other hand, scrolling through social media in bed overstimulates the brain, preventing it from entering deep, REM³ sleep. The result: less progress in training, sometimes overtraining, and more injuries⁴⁵.

When it comes to nutritional fuel, it’s the same blind spot. Many people underestimate their needs for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals, which limits recovery⁶⁷. This isn’t a call to pile on the supplements, but a warning: if you have one or more deficiencies, you won’t make progress until they’re corrected.

The signals your body sends

You may notice a higher-than-usual resting heart rate that also takes longer to return to normal after exercise⁸, higher levels of perceived stress, increased emotional sensitivity⁹, pain that returns for no apparent reason, a longer recovery time after a hard workout, and lingering muscle soreness¹.  You feel aches and pains all over and get sick more often¹⁰. On its own, a single sign might simply be the result of a tough week, a bad night’s sleep, or a cold. However, if you’re experiencing a combination of these signs and they persist, it could be a sign of overtraining, and it’s time to act.

Solutions for restoring balance

Athletes should aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep, turning off screens 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime¹¹. As a reminder, just one night of insufficient sleep can reduce muscle protein synthesis by 18%¹².

In the morning, going for a walk in natural light helps synchronize your internal clock, melatonin, and cortisol¹³¹⁴, rather than reaching for your phone right away. Also, take 5 to 10 minutes each day, away from light and noise, to do breathing exercises or cardiac coherence exercises. This speeds up your recovery after exercise¹⁵.

Remember that it’s on the off days that you build muscle, lose fat, and improve your endurance or VO2 max. So be sure to schedule at least one rest day per week. That’s the bare minimum, which varies from person to person. Also, make sure your diet meets your nutritional needs; otherwise, rest alone won’t be enough. During a workout, if you’re tired, it’s always better to do less than more¹⁶. This will prevent weeks or months of plateauing later.

Why it’s hard to get through it on your own

Recovery can take anywhere from a few days for a mild burnout to several months for severe overtraining¹. It’s hard to see it coming, and even harder to get through it once you’re in that situation. So be proactive and listen to your body. Ego and the pressure to “never give up” can sometimes cloud your judgment.  No one can take a truly neutral and impartial view of their own fatigue, and some people respond to exhaustion with… more training. This is precisely where consulting a kinesiologist makes all the difference: it’s our job. We can observe, test, and adjust before things get out of hand.

That said, let’s remember that exercise remains a powerful ally in improving our health and quality of life. Most of us need a lot more movement and physical activity in our lives.

Overtraining is more likely to affect athletes than “the average person.” However, beginners can also fall into the trap of believing that doing more will be more beneficial. So, stay attuned to the signals your body is sending you, and when in doubt, make sure to consult your kinesiologist. Book an appointment here.

References

1. Up-to-date understanding of overtraining syndrome and overlap with related disorders, Sports Psychiatry, 2024
2. Interventions to reduce short-wavelength (« blue ») light exposure at night and their effects on sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis, SLEEP Advances, 2020
3. Electronic Media Use and Sleep Quality: Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2024
4. The Effect of Sleep Quality and Quantity on Athlete’s Health and Perceived Training Quality, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2021
5. The Association Between Sleep Duration and Sports Injury Risk in Athletes: Structured Literature Review and Meta-Analysis, 2025
6. Energy Availability and RED-S Risk Factors in Competitive, Non-elite Male Endurance Athletes, Translational Medicine and Exercise Prescription, 2021
7. Dose–response relationship between protein intake and muscle mass increase: systematic review and meta-analysis, Nutrition Reviews, 2021
8. Heart rate-based indices to detect parasympathetic hyperactivity in functionally overreached athletes: a meta-analysis, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2021
9. Mood profiles and overtraining syndrome: a systematic review, Sport Sciences for Health, 2025
10. Part I: Relationship among Training Load Management, Salivary Immunoglobulin A, and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in Team Sport: A Systematic Review, Healthcare, 2021
11. How and when screens are used: comparing different screen activities and sleep in Norwegian university students, Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2025
12. The effect of acute sleep deprivation on skeletal muscle protein synthesis and the hormonal environment, Physiological Reports, 2021
13. The role of sunlight in sleep regulation: analysis of morning, evening and late exposure, BMC Public Health, 2025
14. The effects of post-awakening light exposure on the cortisol awakening response in healthy male individuals, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2019
15. The Effect of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback on Recovery After Aerobic Exercise, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2025
16. The Effect of Load and Volume Autoregulation on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Sports Medicine – Open, 2021

Overtraining: The Trap of “Always Wanting to Do More” is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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