Hello,
after i hear the latest podcast from trainerroad, i‘m definitely sure that i have non functional overreaching and also be underrestet.
I have multiple symptoms and paused my training complete for 5 days now. It‘s much better now, but i have a problem to reduce my stress and relax.
I’m not the type who can keep calm. When i‘m lying on the sofa, i always stand under energy and must do something.
Do you have any Tips for me that could help me to relax and recover better?
Greetings
@Endevour instead of just lying on the sofa for the express purpose of recovery…try lying down with the intent of DOING something that is actually DOING NOTHING. Think of it as engaging your mind but not your body. Here are a few suggestions:
1.) Breathing exercises. Square breathing. I’ve read some research literature indicating this can reduce cortisol. That’s good for recovery. Count each inhale in your head…count each exhale in your head…also count each square in your head. Keep your head occupied.
2.) Breathing exercises. Wim Hof breathing. I like to do this with a blood oxygen monitor on my finger. Don’t time it…concentrate on the smo2 response. You’ll quickly discover how to get your blood oxygen really low and hold it there for quite a while. Also, I don’t know why but this will put you to sleep. I don’t mean pass out, I mean it helps you get to sleep.
3.) Practice mindfullness. It’s a mental game that helps you while away the minutes. Maybe it helps with mental health? Maybe it helps with recovery? Maybe. But it doesn’t hurt and it keeps your mind occupied while your body does nothing.
So there are THREE THINGS that keep your mind occupied while your body does nothing. Maybe those three things are actually helping you get faster, so you can cognitively trick yourself into thinking you’re actually doing something that makes you faster. But, really, the most important thing you’re doing is relaxing and recovering.
If you can post a link or screenshot to you calendar that would help.
Without knowing your training I think the easiest way is to not get to that point in the first place. Make sure you add in regular recovery or rest days. On the recovery days decrease intensity to 50-60% FTP (or maybe even lower) to make sure you are recovering from your training stress.
I’m like you in that I really don’t like a day of nothing. On days off the bike it doesn’t mean you have to do nothing but lounge all day. You can go for a walk, go golfing, or some other low impact activity.
Lastly make sure you are taking recovery weeks. I don’t think it needs to be exactly in a 3:1 ratio or even a full week (our life schedules and races often won’t fit perfectly) but a period of consistent days of backing off the throttle has shown to be really effective.
Sounds like you did the right thing taking a block to recover and get thing back in-line. Best of luck to you!
I walk or swim on recovery days.
Have a regular, early bedtime even if you don’t have continuous sleep.
Eat well and socialise.
I’ve had this in the past and the key for me has been to find activities that are enjoyable and restful. So I can look forward to doing them while also recovering.
But as @Brennus said, I think the best thing for people with some anxiety or other thing that makes it hard to ‘do nothing’ is to find something else that is still ‘doing something’ but isn’t hugely physically active.
For me, reading and doing light chores have been big ones. Sure vacuuming or whatever else maybe isn’t as restful as sitting on the couch but it still is more restful than going on a bike ride. And it has the added benefit for me of getting something out of the way that has been on my mental checklist for a little while and making my house/room/whatever cleaner and more enjoyable to be in.
Doing light chores at home during rest days is a win win situation, as it gives you more time to chill during training days and has that mental benefit of getting something done.
I like to clean my whole appartment almost always before starting a new training block and do other chores so I can fully concentrate on the training later.
You already have some fantastic advice above. I’ll just add a few other things I do on days off/recovery weeks
I think the bottom line is finding other things to do that occupy your mind and keep you “busy” without working hard. You absolutely don’t need to just lie on the couch and daydream the whole time (although that is amazingly good for you!)
If you’re doing too much exercise or not resting enough, start by slowing down your workouts and getting good sleep. Take rest days, eat healthy food, and do some light stretching. Pay attention to how your body feels, add some easier weeks to your plan, and don’t worry about taking a full break if you’re feeling tired or moody all the time.
To deal with overreaching or underresting, start by scaling back your training intensity and prioritizing quality sleep and recovery—think rest days, stretching, and proper nutrition. Listen to your body, adjust your workout plan to include deload weeks, and don’t be afraid to take a full break if you’re feeling consistently drained or irritable.