Regular exercise is crucial for health, but overtraining, poor diet, skipping stretching, pushing limits too hard, and lack of sleep can lead to anxiety. A balance of proper nutrition, rest, and mindful exercise practices is essential for both mental and physical well-being.

We all know that regular exercise can help us avoid illnesses and achieve a perfect body and mind. Yet when it comes to setting an exercise routine or following the right practices, we tend to make certain mistakes that can leave us anxious. Weight loss is a long and arduous journey, and cannot be achieved with workouts alone. It’s important not to overdo exercise and take care of nutrition in order to achieve the desired results.

Here are 5 exercising mistakes that can cause anxiety:

1. Overtraining

If you want a good physique and to look fit and attractive, you should follow a routine and stick to it. Pushing yourself to the gym seven days a week won’t benefit you. It will only harm your body. Pushing yourself beyond limits is not the smart thing to do; it can impact your physical and mental health. One should always rest, as it will not only help muscles recover but also prevent burnout. A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that overtraining negatively impacts the autonomic nervous system, which can increase symptoms of anxiety and depression.

2. Not taking proper diet

In our busy and occupied schedule, we often forget to take care of our health and may skip having lunch or dinner just because we don’t feel like it. If you are exercising, it is extremely important to eat a proper diet and nutritious food; otherwise, it can harm your mental health, lead to fatigue, and exhaust you emotionally and physically, which can lead to anxiety. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2018 found that low diet intake was linked to increased anxiety levels.

3. Not stretching

If you go to the gym or exercise a lot, it is extremely important to stretch before you start training your body. If you don’t do your stretching pre- or post-workout, it can make your body stiff and cause body pain, muscle cramps, and headaches. Stretching is very important to keep your body flexible and avoid any physical or emotional burnout. According to the Journal of Physical Therapy Science in 2018, regular stretching exercises improved mental health, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

4. Challenging your capacity

One should always listen to their body; your body is not a robot; it needs rest, food, water, and enough sleep to function properly. Challenging your capacity won’t make you physically fit; when your body gives you signals, it is telling you to slow down, take rest, or it may cause injury. It can create physical and mental stress.

5. Not getting enough sleep

Exercise, gym, and sports are the best ways to keep fit; they will help you increase your stamina and keep you healthy. Many people who are managing the gym and their busy schedule together often can’t get enough sleep. It can be very harmful to your body; it can cause anxiety and fatigue. A 2019 study published in Nature Human Behavior by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that sleep deprivation can significantly increase anxiety levels.
To ensure you reap the maximum benefits out of exercising, it’s important that you consider the above factors and achieve holistic wellness.