Are you exercising TOO MUCH? Experts warns that working out more than five days a week can cause sleep problems, bone fractures and make muscles WEAKER

• Exercising for more than 90 minutes every day, more than 5 days a week can cause lingering problems
• Excessive exercise is linked to hormonal changes, insomnia, and injuries
• Read more: I’m a fitness coach.This 7 exercises of his are a waste of time

Fitness is no longer a hobby. These days, staying in shape has become a lifestyle. Look no further than social media and you’ll find plenty of images of toned young men perfecting their squats at the gym.

According to Bloomberg, the number of Americans with gym memberships has tripled to 62.5 million, and about a fifth of adults train every day.

Health officials say the average American should exercise more, but some experts warn that some people may actually be exercising too much.

And the results can be life-changing.

Alexandra Davidson, a New York-based PhD in nursing practice who has worked in family medicine for six years, warned of the risk of fractures, immune system problems and even muscle weakness in people who overdo it. . That’s at the gym.

write for medical blog, Ms. Davidson expressed concern that “when it comes to exercise, “the more the better” is celebrated in fitness culture.” But how much is too much?

John Gallucci Jr, a physical therapist and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy in New York, told DailyMail.com that the average person should limit strenuous cardiovascular exercise, such as running or aerobics, to five days a week. That’s what he said.

And sessions should not exceed 90 minutes, he said.

Meanwhile, Heather Milton, an exercise physiologist at New York University Langone Health, said other experts believe that some groups, such as young women with a BMI of less than 19, should avoid strenuous exercise “because they are at higher risk of injury.” They warn that the frequency should be further reduced. he told DailyMail.com.

Davidson explained that the main risk of overexercising is increased levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone.

Cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands at the top of the kidneys, regulates the body’s stress response, controls metabolism, suppresses inflammation, and affects blood sugar levels by releasing glucose into the blood.

When you experience stress, such as during exercise, your body produces cortisol along with adrenaline. Both of these keep the body in a fight-or-flight state.

Too much cortisol can interfere with and impair the release of other important hormones involved in metabolism, hair and nail growth, bone repair, and blood pressure.

Davidson also said that interference with female hormones, such as estrogen, can cause irregular menstrual cycles.

Excessive exercise also causes inflammation in the body. Although this is the body’s natural response to injury, excessive inflammation can impair important functions such as the immune system’s ability to fight invaders and repair damage.

As a result, injuries such as muscle strains may heal more slowly. Contrary to popular belief, excessive exercise does not build muscle. it reduces it.

Muscle fibers need plenty of rest time to grow, but if you’re strained for a large portion of the week, that time can be shortened. It increases your risk of pain and can affect your all-important sleep. “Rest is important to give your body time to repair and grow muscles,” Davidson said.

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And while exercise has been shown to strengthen bones, exercising too often can increase the risk of stress fractures in certain people, Davidson said.

One study from For example, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that female athletes with a BMI of less than 19 are five times more likely to suffer a sports injury than male athletes. A BMI of 18.5 or less is considered underweight.

Milton said women who are underweight tend to have weaker bones than women with a higher BMI. Therefore, these women may be more susceptible to injuries from repeated high-impact activities, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Milton says 90 minutes of low-intensity exercise, such as cycling or yoga, five days a week is likely to be suitable for this demographic, but no more than five days a week of high-intensity exercise. He said it would be desirable to reduce it.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) suggests that underweight women avoid all high-intensity aerobic exercise because it can burn too many calories and make it difficult to reach a healthy weight. .

And “going through” a particularly painful workout can also be dangerous.

“If you’re in pain, you shouldn’t be doing that activity,” Gallucci says. “If that pain is between 3 and 4, you shouldn’t do that kind of repetitive exercise,” he said.

If your pain starts to reach 4 or 5 degrees, talk to your physical therapist or athletic trainer about reducing your activity level and setting appropriate limits, he said.

Davidson suggests making changes to your daily routine to avoid overuse injuries. This includes going for a short run, for example to work out different muscle groups, and then switching to a yoga routine.