When this state occurs, running must be stopped!

Every runner hopes to run more and faster, and often spares no effort when practicing. However, sports scientists point out that if you cannot rest in time, your body may not be able to withstand the stress of training. Your sleep quality and energy level will show a clear downward trend, and your appetite will also be affected. In the long run, you will lose your speed and strength, which will seriously affect your health and running performance. When your body shows 3-4 of the following 10 conditions, it is time for you to stop and rest for a day or two:

1. The body weight has decreased significantly compared to the previous day

If you lose about 2% of your body weight in two days, it means your body is in a very unstable state. The most likely reason for this is that you're not hydrating enough during and after your run. Dehydration can seriously affect your running performance both physically and mentally, and may also affect your performance in your next training session.

2. Your resting heart rate starts to rise

After waking up every morning, you can test your resting heart rate before getting out of bed. This will help you understand your normal heart rate level. If your resting heart rate rises significantly one day, it is a sign that your body is under great stress. This means that your normal nervous system is preparing or fighting the release of hormones in your body that make your heart beat faster, sending more oxygen and blood to your brain. Sometimes your body can't tell the difference between physical and mental stress, so after a really hard run or a really hard conditioning session, you need to give yourself a day to recover.

3. You don’t sleep well or enough

A continuous and sufficient sleep can promote your body's metabolism, which is very helpful for us to rebuild our muscle fibers. Several consecutive nights of poor sleep will cause great damage to your body, such as decreased immunity, slower reaction speed, slower cognitive function, etc., which are not conducive to your next training. Therefore, when your sleep quality declines significantly, the first thing we should do is stop and rest.

4. Your urine turns dark yellow

A normal person's urine should be light yellow, and when your urine turns dark yellow, it may be a sign that your body is showing signs of dehydration - of course, sometimes some vitamins and specific foods we take the night before may also cause this phenomenon. In short, the darker the color of your urine, the more you should pay attention to hydration. Your body needs more water at this time to maintain normal functioning.

5. Your speed drops or you suddenly fall while running

If your body's energy is at a low level, you will always encounter various difficulties during running, and this cannot be concealed. Experienced athletes can often judge whether they need to rest based on their training results. Don't be too stubborn!

Sometimes when you think your tenacity can drive away fatigue, things don't go as you wish.

6. Your temper becomes short-tempered

When your body is overwhelmed by the strain of training, it produces some physiological hormones, such as adrenaline, which can make your personality become sensitive, anxious and irritable. Great stress can also make your brain's dopamine ineffective. Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, a chemical used to help cells transmit impulses and directly affect people's emotions. The biggest function of dopamine is to convey messages of excitement and joy, and when it loses its effectiveness, you will become irritable and angry.