We have very little doubt by now that a great workout offers spectacular benefits for our short and long-term health. Regular activity blesses us with benefits like promoting weight management, increasing self-confidence, improving brain & memory functions, lowering blood pressure, improving heart & mental health, and slowing aging. Consequently, many men and women wish to join the gym to benefit their minds and bodies.
Whenever we talk about exercise and physical activity, our minds get flooded with its many benefits. However, like every coin has two sides, exercise similarly entails a darker side. Many women – both beginners and experts experience an array of side effects due to excessive exercise that affects them each day.
From common discomfort to major side effects, everything has a possible solution. It is noteworthy that these side effects experienced by women due to intensive workouts can be rooted in different causes. However, it should not always be a cause for worry. Here is a roundup of some excessive workout side effects for women:
Muscle Soreness
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is a common side effect post-workout. The micro-tears in the muscle tissues are responsible for muscle soreness. DOMS typically begins and continues for a day or two after an intense workout or physical activity. Those new to their fitness journey are more likely to experience muscle soreness as their body takes a considerable amount in adapting to new movements and high-intensity exercises like weight training, squatting, jump roping, etc.
Jumping head first into an extensive workout regime can also cause muscle injury. It is a good idea to talk to your trainer to build a strength training exercise, which can gradually increase your endurance towards a specific activity.
Muscle soreness can also be due to lactic acid formation when you work out. Your body breakdown carbohydrates into energy, and low oxygen levels in your blood form into muscle cells and red blood cells. A potential solution to this problem is to warm up the body before a workout, cool it down after the activity, and drink sufficient water.
Itchy Skin
Experiencing itchy skin during a workout is not uncommon. The cardiovascular system is responsible for this condition. The surprising reason is that our heart rhythm and blood flow increase while exercising. As the heart pumps more blood and oxygen to our muscles, it causes the capillaries and arteries to fill the blood and expand throughout the body. The entire process stimulates our nerve cells and signals to the brain. Accompanied by our tight workout clothes, our brain responds to the body’s exercise with an urge to itch. The itching sensation decreases as we continue our regular training.
Another reason to experience itchiness can be excessive sweating while exercising. Wearing anything that restricts the skin airflow to ventilate can lead to itchiness. The sweat trapped on the skin’s surface produces microbes such as bacteria and fungi, which can cause infections. Generally, the garments designed to wear during exercises are of breathable fabric. So, it is a good idea to choose the right workout gear. Ones that are sweat absorbent and airy.
Dizziness & Nausea
Dizziness and nausea during and after a workout are common occurrences. Doubled by high-intensity exercise, one can undoubtedly feel nausea. One reason behind feeling dizzy and nauseous is people pushing themselves too hard, resulting in overexertion. It should be your priority to recognize your endurance. Dehydration caused by intense physical activity can also lead to dizziness, tiredness, dry mouth, and feeling faint or lightheaded. Drinking the right amount of water and eating a small snack before a workout can help solve this problem significantly.
Hormonal imbalance is also a reason to experience nausea and dizziness. During your menstrual cycle, you should consider sticking to moderate-level exercises. Low-efficiency workouts like light aerobics and sprint exercises set to a moderate speed on a treadmill can even help relieve period pain. Although, keep in mind that your estrogen level during the follicular phase is on the rise. Increased estrogen levels can cause restricted blood flow and even lead to blood clots or a stroke in some severe cases. So, it is crucial to understand how your body feels when you work out during your menstrual cycle and not to push yourself.
Runny Nose
While jogging, running, or exercising, one feels a runny nose that is highly annoying. It is a frustrating experience that is a normal side-effect of a workout known as exercise-induced rhinitis. Those with runny noses during intense training probably face allergic rhinitis as they breathe deeper and inhale numerous allergens. Exercise-induced rhinitis occurs when people train outside and can even catch seasonal allergies like hay fever due to pollens and other irritants. Therefore, switching to indoor workouts is a good option, especially during high-pollen days.
Shared gym spaces can also be a festering ground for allergies. There might be a chance that the sanitization of your gym equipment doesn’t happen daily. It is not practical to clean the entire machine by yourself. But, disinfecting the areas where your hands make direct contact can be a good idea.
Urge for Defecation
The movements and vibrations of the legs while running cause shaking of the gastrointestinal tract. It arouses the urge to run to the washroom. The reason is that instead of the blood getting redirected to the muscles, it reaches the intestines. Other factors leading to the urge can be the time gap between meals and exercise, stress, hydration, etc. Hence, excluding spicy and fiber-rich foods and maintaining a time gap of eating at least 2 hours before exercising helps prevent the urge to defecate.
Studies also show that the maximum number of people who work out are in some way consuming caffeine as a pre-workout meal. Having a cup of coffee during your breakfast is common. It is an excellent way to stay energized during the day. However, if you are having energy drinks or protein powders that contain a high number of caffeine, it can trigger your bowel movements.
Summing Up
While both the health benefits and side effects of excessive workouts shouldn’t stop women from accomplishing their fitness goals, you should be able to prioritize your fitness journey without any hassle. And while there might be some setbacks, it is essential to remember that you can work your way out of it.
Feeling such symptoms as itchy skin, runny nose, muscle soreness, dizziness, etc., during and post-workout may be normal. Stress can also be a cause that your bodily functions might get affected. It might happen that it is not evident. But, if you push yourself too hard to match your fitness goals, you may experience some distress. It is not a concern until it is rational.
However, if something seems excessively off, get in touch with an expert from the comfort of your home on DocVita: docvita.com.