Stress is a normal and inevitable part of human nature and while it changes for each person, too much stress can lead to poor training results. Listed ahead are 8 signs stress is sabotaging your training and ways to work on it.
The accumulation of all elements of your work, social, and daily life bring about events that take a toll on the body. These events can be stressful, which means your body is in a constant state of fight-or-flight mode, which raises blood pressure, blood sugar, atherosclerosis, and poor health. While wiping out stress completely is impossible, it seems there are 8 signs stress is sabotaging your training and you may not even know it. 
What is Stress and How do you Detect It?
The body runs off physiologic processes that are driven from hormones and chemicals that maintain life. Of these, cortisol is a primary stress hormone that helps to prepare the body’s response to a stressor. Stressors are physical or mental reactions to a stimulus, and too much of this type of stress can lead to poor health and slow any workout in its tracks.
Here are some general signs of stress to look for:
- Generalized fatigue
- Difficulty paying attention
- Poor sleep quality
- Stomach ache
- Higher heart rate
If any of these signs hit you at any time, consider stress as your potential culprit. For your workouts there are additional things to be aware of. Let’s look at 8 signs stress is sabotaging your training program and how to fix it. 
Top 8 Signs Stress is Sabotaging Your Training Program
- You Take Longer to Recover. Under general conditions, recovery times range anywhere from 24-48 hours following exercise. However, if you notice that your typical recovery times are longer than this, you may have some excess stress. The inability to recover properly is a major element in your workout and any recovery method that is longer than usual should raise an eyebrow for stress affecting your body.
- How to fix: consider a massage or soft tissue work to help calm the mind and rest the body for optimal recovery.
- Slowing of Gains. If your muscles were growing and all of a sudden you notice a slowing or completely reversing, it could be due to cortisol. This stress hormone, when hanging in the body in high amounts, can lead to the breakdown of muscle tissue,which is mostly noticed in your muscle mass size. Consuming protein or adding creatine may help, but finding a way to alleviate stress is important.
- How to fix: change up your workout, add more protein, go on a muscle-building program, and be mindful of inflammatory foods that could contribute to physical stress.
- Poor Sleep Quality. Perhaps the biggest sign of all is if you aren’t sleeping all that well each day. If you wake up, feeling wrecked, tired, and just like you need more sleep then you may have stress settling in. Excess cortisol can lead to disturbances in sleep and this is the most critical portion of any workout.
- How to fix: while forcing more sleep isn’t really something that works for everyone, sometimes little fixes can help. Add in tart cherry juice at night, consider melatonin, or try quiet meditations before bed to help ease the mind for a peaceful night of recovery.
- Nagging Injuries Pop Up. Another telltale sign of excess stress that may be sabotaging your progress is an injury. When injuries all of a sudden pop up, it could mean you have cortisol creating inflammation in your body, which can lead to nagging injuries. These nagging injuries could be a result of overuse, repetition, or a lack of recovering at night.
- How to fix: add in a stretching routine after every workout and have it last at least 5-10 minutes. Aim for every major muscle group and add spinal bends for best results.
- You Are Sick Often. Another telltale sign of too much stress in the body is an illness. Excess cortisol blocks chemicals that help to support the immune system, which can lead to an illness. Your workout could be affected if you are constantly sick and unable to recover after a lift.
- How to fix: consider sticking to restful sleep, eating a diet that includes fruits and vegetables, and add in supplements when necessary to support the immune system.
- You Are Bored In Your Program. While this also may include an element of overtraining, boredom in your workout could be due to fatigue that is created from stress. Cortisol accumulates in the blood and can lead to mental fogginess that can lead to boredom and a decreased focus.
- How to fix: swap up your training methods and consider changing to a bodyweight training program to keep it fresh.
- You are Tacking on Weight. One of the most common ways to notice stress is when you gain weight. Most people who workout typically notice a change in body composition, but weight gain is not necessarily the change they notice. Cortisol encourages the body to store fat and release insulin on the body (which also encourages fat growth) and may be noticed through weight gain.
- How to fix: track what you eat and if your macros are on-point then you know you may have cortisol strolling through your body. Track what you eat to ensure optimal nutrients intake and to ensure your daily caloric consumption is within limits.
- You are Eating too Much. If you have noticed that you are not able to stick to your macro program and you are just hungry all the time, perhaps you are stressed out. Too much stress can lead to increased hunger levels, which can tack on weight, and sabotage your workouts as a result.
- How to fix: drink more water, watch your macros, and track what you eat to help keep you on track. If you must, plan a cheat or reward day to keep your mind and appetite happy.
Conclusion
Stress is a silent part of daily life that can sneak up and sabotage any workout. Follow along with any of the 8 signs stress is sabotaging your training to see if your lifestyle is affecting your exercise.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538239
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=2171
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6473797
image sources
- CrossFit athlete: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
- Mat Fraser Recovery: TheraGun
