You Should Stop Doing Cardio Every Day If This Happens To You
Experts have long known that exercise is good for you, and the American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week to maintain good health. While cardio promotes physical fitness, there is such a thing as doing too much. Healthline explains that if you overdo it when it comes to exercise, it could backfire, leading to a number of health problems.
One sign of overexercising is muscle soreness that doesn't go away, according to Healthline. If you're doing some form of cardio on a regular basis, you are most likely using your joints over and over again. This kind of repetitive motion can take a toll on your knees, ankles, hips, and lower back. MindBodyGreen explains that if you find that some joints seem to always hurt, it might be time to look for some other form of exercise to give painful joints rest in between workouts.
Too much cardio can lead to fatigue, moodiness, and lack of interest
Another symptom of too much cardio is feeling tired all the time. Fatigue might make exercises that were once easy difficult to perform. If you are dealing with other stressors in your life and a cardio session leaves you wiped out, you could be exercising too much, per MindBodyGreen. You may be physically tired, but not getting a good night's sleep or insomnia can also be symptoms of too much cardio, per Psychology Today.
Mood swings, irritability, and depression are other symptoms that indicate you might be overdoing it at the gym. Livestrong explains that this could be the result of dehydration, low blood sugar, and plain old muscle fatigue. If you find that you aren't as interested in your workouts as you once were or you're losing motivation, you may need a break.
If you think you are doing too much cardio, there is an easy fix. The National Library of Medicine recommends taking a break for 1-2 weeks if you find yourself struggling with any of these symptoms.