Pressure makes diamonds. Train hard win easy. Never surrender. These are some of the motivational motto's that Americans thrive on. With the Olympic trials in full swing we are even more aware of how hard we strive to become 'the best we can be'. So how do you know how much of a good thing is too much? Are you over-training? Are you over-working? Over-working is similar to when an athlete over-trains. When they exercise, practice, drill, rehearse and compete too much. When they over do it, their mind dulls and their body weakens with fatigue. They get stuck. They feel slow, stagnant and beat. When exercise, work, etc., is done in moderation it is healthy, but when you over do it, it becomes a ball and chain. Stress, in small doses, is what our bodies were designed for. Acute, brief, and intense stress is a good thing. Chronic, repetitive, long term stress is a bad thing. It's all about balance. Managing your stress is about managing your hormones and the main stress hormone is cortisol. It is released by the adrenal system and in normal, acute levels it is helpful in lowering inflammation, helps your body to heal itself, and provides energy to the muscles. Chronic cortisol production tears your body down. Too much stress stimulates excess cortisol and it becomes catabolic, destructive to tissue. Over production of cortisol leads to 'adrenal fatigue'. The result is disrupted sleep and wake cycles. Chronic exposure to stress, light, caffeine, … [Read more...]
