Feeling too good after exercise? Research indicates it could compromise recovery

Nowadays, with everything moving so fast, it is super important to keep up with exercise and handle stress well. A new study you can find on PubMed, a site full of science info, shows that being stressed can affect how our bodies bounce back after a hard workout. What the study says is that the stress we are feeling in our heads can make a big difference in how our bodies fix themselves up after we have done some serious exercise, like weightlifting.

---

New study on stress & workout recovery

Muscle function is most impacted by stress and intense workout (Image via Vecteezy)

The research, conducted with undergraduate students who actively participate in resistance training, delved into how chronic mental stress – the kind that piles up over time from daily hassles and life's challenges – influences recovery. Specifically, it looked at recovery in terms of muscle function and somatic sensations, which include how energetic or fatigued, and how sore someone feels after working out.

First, those taking part had to fill out two surveys meant to figure out how stressed they were: The Perceived Stress Scale and the Undergraduate Stress Questionnaire. These helped them understand the stress they felt from big events in their lives. After that, each person did a tough workout, starting with a leg press to see how strong they were, followed by more exercises that pushed them to between 80% and 100% of their top strength.

In the days after exercising – up to 96 hours – the study monitored several key indicators of recovery. These included the Maximal Isometric Force (MIF), which is a measure of muscle strength, as well as participants' reports of energy, fatigue, and soreness. The rate of recovery was then analyzed using a method known as hierarchical linear modeling growth curve analysis.

---

Overall impact of stress on post-exercise recovery

Fatigue can be caused by slow recovery post-workout (Image via Vecteezy)

Stress from life events significantly affects the recovery trajectory of muscle function. That is, the more stress an individual was under, the slower and less efficient their muscle recovery tended to be. This correlation remained strong even after accounting for other factors that could influence recovery, such as the individual's fitness level, the workload during the exercise session, and their training experience.

Beyond just muscle strength, stress also played a role in how recovered individuals felt in terms of energy, fatigue, and soreness. Those reporting higher levels of stress not only showed a slower recovery in muscular strength but also experienced lower energy levels, increased fatigue, and greater soreness after exercise compared to those with lower stress levels.

It is important to highlight that the study distinguished between 'life event stress' and 'perceived stress,' finding that both forms of stress hurt recovery outcomes. Specifically, mean perceived stress significantly influenced the recovery of muscle strength and energy levels but did not show a notable effect on fatigue or soreness levels.

---

The bottom line from this study is clear: stress, whether it is from ongoing life events or the cumulative stress we perceive day-to-day, can hinder the body's recovery after intense exercise. This means that individuals experiencing high levels of stress might need to take more time to recover fully after a workout or consider methods to manage or reduce their stress levels to enhance recovery.

For anyone who often does workouts like lifting weights or other tough exercises, this study highlights how crucial it is to think about your mental well-being and handling stress as key parts of your overall fitness routine. Taking care of your stress not only is good for your mental health, but it can also help your body recover better, making sure you are in top shape for your next workout session.