The answer to the question of whether to exercise when tired is not a simple yes or no. It depends on the type and intensity of tiredness you are experiencing.
However, you may find the solution to your question in this brief three-minute video, which I believe will be helpful to over 90% of the readers who arrived on this page.
In this post, we’ll explore the different types of tiredness and provide guidance on when it’s appropriate to exercise and when it’s best to rest. So, let’s dive in!
5 Types Of Tiredness:
1. Physical Tiredness
Physical tiredness is characterized by exhaustion, fatigue, and muscle weakness resulting from physical activity, sleep deprivation, dehydration, or an underlying medical condition.
2. Mental Tiredness
Mental tiredness is characterized by mental fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and feeling mentally drained due to cognitive overload, stress, anxiety, or depression.
3. Emotional Tiredness
Emotional tiredness is characterized by feeling emotionally drained, lacking motivation, and being overwhelmed, which can be caused by stress, anxiety, depression, or emotional trauma.
4. Chronic Tiredness
Chronic tiredness is defined by persistent fatigue that lasts for several weeks or months, and can be caused by underlying medical conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia, or thyroid disorders.
5. Post-exertional Tiredness
Post-exertional tiredness is characterized by fatigue, muscle soreness, and a general feeling of exhaustion that occurs after physical activity or exercise.
Can You Workout When You’re Physically Tired?
If you are feeling moderately physically tired, it is generally safe to perform light to moderate exercises, such as walking, yoga, or stretching.
However, if you are experiencing severe physical fatigue, dizziness, or other symptoms that may indicate an underlying medical condition, it is important to rest and seek medical attention if necessary.
Is It Safe To Exercise When You’re Mentally Exhausted?
If you are feeling mentally tired, it may be beneficial to perform exercises that promote relaxation and reduce stress, such as yoga, meditation, or tai chi.
However, if you are experiencing severe mental fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or other symptoms that may indicate a mental health issue, it is important to seek professional help and avoid pushing yourself too hard.
Is It Okay To Exercise When You’re Emotionally Drained?
If you are feeling emotionally tired, it may be beneficial to perform exercises that promote relaxation and reduce stress, such as yoga or meditation.
However, if you are experiencing severe emotional fatigue, lack of motivation, or other symptoms that may indicate an emotional or psychological issue, it is important to seek professional help and avoid pushing yourself too hard.
Should You Exercise If You Have Chronic Fatigue?
If you are experiencing chronic fatigue, it is important to consult a healthcare professional to identify the underlying cause and develop a treatment plan.
Depending on the cause of fatigue, light to moderate exercises may be recommended to help manage symptoms.
Is It Safe To Workout When You’re Overtrained?
If you are experiencing post-exertional tiredness after physical activity or exercise, it is generally advisable to rest and allow your body to recover before performing more exercise.
Situations When You Can Skip Exercise:
There are several scenarios when it is not advisable to exercise, including:
- Illness: If you are experiencing symptoms of an illness, such as flu, fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches, it is generally not recommended to exercise. Your body needs rest to recover from the illness, and exercising may further weaken your immune system and prolong your recovery.
- Injury: If you have an injury, such as a sprain, strain, or fracture, it is important to follow your doctor’s advice and avoid any exercises that may aggravate your injury or cause further damage.
- Overtraining: If you have been exercising excessively or without adequate rest, it may lead to overtraining, which can cause fatigue, muscle soreness, and increased risk of injury. In such cases, it is important to take a break and allow your body to rest and recover.
- Pregnancy: If you are pregnant, it is important to consult your healthcare provider before starting or continuing an exercise routine. Some exercises may not be safe during pregnancy and may cause harm to you or your baby.
- Extreme weather conditions: If you are exercising outdoors in extreme weather conditions, such as high heat, humidity, or cold temperatures, it may be unsafe and increase the risk of heatstroke, hypothermia, or other health problems.
Situations When You Should Not Skip Exercise:
1. You Are Tired Of Gym:
If you are feeling tired of going to the gym, it may be time to change up your exercise routine. Here are some things you can try:
- Exercise outdoors: If you’ve been exercising indoors, try taking your workout outside. You can go for a run or walk in the park, hike a nearby trail, or try outdoor activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, or rock climbing.
- Try a new workout: If you’ve been doing the same workout routine for a while, try switching it up by trying a new workout. You can try a new fitness class, such as dance, kickboxing, or Pilates, or explore different types of exercise, such as yoga, swimming, or cycling.
- Workout with a friend: Working out with a friend can make exercise more enjoyable and provide accountability and motivation. You can try exercising together, or join a group fitness class or sports team.
- Take a break: If you’re feeling burnt out from exercising, it’s okay to take a break and focus on other things for a while. You can take a few days or a week off from exercising to rest and recharge.
2. You Don’t Want To Workout:
If you want to stay fit and healthy, you should not skip workout just because you don’t want to workout. Think of it this way, exercising is not exciting but the outcome of it is what you are craving for.
The most common reasons people skip workout is lack of time and laziness.
For people with the first reason, the most practical solution is to work out before or after work. For those who are lazy, they can start small by doing a 10-minute workout. You can also do some home workouts for more convenience.
Besides, if you find it hard to motivate yourself in the morning, doing some quick exercises during your coffee break can help increase your energy levels for the rest of the day.
Don’t think about the boredom and lack of excitement in exercising, think about the outcome!
Situations When It Is Bad To Workout:
1. You Are Sleep Deprived
Sleep deprivation can affect judgement, decision making, and even motor skills. It is important to take care of your body by getting enough sleep.
You can skip workout in order to get more sleep so that you can focus better at work or school the next day.
There are many negative side effects from lack of sleep such as impaired judgement and negative impact on decision making skills. So when it comes to sleep or workout, it is better to sleep and skip the workout.
When you wake up and you have time, you can workout first thing in the morning.
2. You Aren’t Feeling Your Best
If you are feeling physically limited and your mind and head feels low and heavy, you can give workout a try, but if you still can’t, just don’t workout.
Skip your workout if you don’t feel like it. If you are not feeling your best, it is better to take the day off than to push yourself too far.
Maybe take a walk instead. It will at least be better than absolutely nothing.
3. You Are Still Sore From The Last Workout
Some people believe that if they skip a workout because they are still sore from the last one, they will lose the progress and strength gained from previous workouts.
But this is not true at all. It is better to rest for 24 hours after a strenuous workout to give your body time to process what it has endured.
But if you are still sore after 24 hours, you can skip another workout, and let your body recover.
It is important to know what is actually causing your aches and pains. If you are feeling pain due to an injury, you should see your doctor right away.
But most likely what you are feeling is just muscle soreness that can be relieved with rest and anti-inflammatories.