Laura S. Conley

Athlete

Why Do We Feel Cold After a Workout?

Perhaps you’ve experienced this phenomenon: after an intense run or workout where you are sweating and hot, once finished and cooled down a bit you get VERY VERY COLD.

Why is that?

When we work out, we experience a range of physical and physiological responses, including changes in body temperature. One common phenomenon that many of us have experienced is feeling cold after a workout. In this post, we’ll explore the reasons why our bodies get cold after exercise and what we can do to prevent it.

REASON #1: CORE TEMPERATURE DROPS

The first reason why our bodies get cold after a workout is because of the decrease in core body temperature. When we exercise, our bodies generate heat as a result of increased metabolic activity. This heat helps to regulate our body temperature and keep us comfortable during the workout. However, once the workout is over, our bodies stop generating heat and our core temperature starts to drop. This drop in temperature can result in a feeling of chilliness, especially in areas like the arms and legs, where blood flow is less regulated.

REASON #2: INCREASED BLOOD FLOW TO SKIN SURFACE

Another reason why our bodies get cold after exercise is due to the increase in blood flow to the surface of the skin. During exercise, our bodies pump blood to the muscles to supply them with oxygen and nutrients. After the workout, this increased blood flow to the skin helps to dissipate heat and regulate body temperature. However, it can also result in a feeling of chilliness, especially if the skin is exposed to cool air.

REASON #3: SWEATING

Sweating is also a contributing factor to the feeling of cold after a workout. When we exercise, we sweat to regulate our body temperature by cooling the skin. However, when the sweat evaporates, it takes heat with it, leaving the skin feeling cool and damp. This can cause our bodies to feel cold, especially if we’re wearing damp clothing or if the air is cool and humid.

So, what can we do to PREVENT the feeling of cold after a workout? Here are a few tips:

  1. Stay warm during the workout: Wearing appropriate clothing for the conditions can help to regulate body temperature during exercise. Opt for breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics that will help to keep you warm and dry.
  2. Hydrate: Drinking water before, during, and after exercise can help to regulate body temperature and prevent dehydration, which can make the feeling of cold after a workout more intense.
  3. Warm up and cool down properly: Warming up and cooling down before and after exercise can help to regulate body temperature and prevent the feeling of cold after a workout.
  4. Change into dry clothing: Changing into dry clothing immediately after a workout can help to prevent the feeling of cold by removing sweat-dampened clothing.
  5. Refuel with the right nutrition: Eating a balanced meal or snack after exercise can help to restore energy levels and regulate body temperature.

In conclusion, our bodies get cold after a workout for several reasons, including the decrease in core body temperature, increased blood flow to the skin, sweating, and hormonal changes. By taking steps to regulate body temperature during and after exercise, we can prevent the feeling of cold and keep ourselves feeling comfortable and warm all winter long!

Taking Charge of Your Thoughts: Exercises for Mastering Your Mind

“Attitude is everything” and your attitude is a direct result of the thoughts you think and believe everyday.  What we now know is that you can control your mind and your thoughts to reconfigure your brain wiring.  This is called “neuroplasticity”.  The same way you can sculpt the muscles on your body, you can sculpt your mind to be powerful and strong, or loving and compassionate.  It simply requires time and dedication the same as exercising your body would.  

Here are some exercises to help you achieve mindfulness:

Mindful Exercise #1: Yoga

You may think yoga is mostly about stretching. While stretching is part of the practice, the magic of yoga is the focus on breath to move through self-imposed limitations. As you practice, you start to hear your mind crying, “that’s too much. I can’t do that. What am I doing here?” Basically saying anything to get you out of the intensity of the present moment.

The more you practice it becomes a little better each time.   You stay steady with your intent, focus a little more on your breath; you release deeper with every exhale. The awareness starts to grow and mindfulness trickles over into your everyday life before you notice.

Nature

We all know how relaxing sitting on the beach gazing out over the ocean as well listening to the waves crashing on shore; or walking through the woods gazing at humongous trees.  Contemplation in nature is the original form of meditation.  Being in nature it is far easier to quiet the mind and become aware of our monkey mind chatter. 

Meditation

So many people say “meditation doesn’t work for me”, “I can’t stop thinking or quiet my mind”  Well that’s the point!  So actually that means it IS working since they noticed how much their mind was thinking-THAT’S mindfulness!  You can choose from many different styles of meditation, find one (or many) that you like best.

Open Focus – It is a process of relaxing your focus to an empty space in your body. Transcendental (TM) – The claimed advantage of TM is that an amateur can reach the same state as a master within weeks of starting the practice. Repeat a simple chant, distracting the mind long enough for consciousness to emerge.

Vipassana – This form of meditation has you focus on your breath as it passes through your nostrils. Gradually, you expand this awareness to your whole body.

LVK Meditation – Focus on all the love and kindness in your heart while loving the world so much that your mind can’t handle it anymore. This will result in your heart expanding and leading your mind.

Guided – Guided meditations are a great way to start. A vocal guide will lead you through the entire meditation so all you have to do is relax and follow along.

Biofeedback – One of the recent styles is using a biofeedback device. This measures brainwave activity and plugs into a computer or iPhone app.  With this data you can see exactly how well you are actually calming your mind.  

Body Movement/Dance

Dance is a universal cultural phenomenon. In ceremonial dance, dancing is the vehicle to induce a deep trancelike state.  In  “ecstatic dancing”, participants are encouraged to move freely with their body, surrendering to the music.  Some movements may not even look like things we would consider “dancing”. Once you release the mind from concerning itself with how you look, your body comes alive.  Every cell seems to wake up and the mind takes a huge step back. 

Floatation (Sensory Deprivation)

Floatation tanks, also known as sensory deprivation tanks, eliminate all external sensory input (sight, sound, smell, etc) therefore tricking the mind into quieting into a hypnotic meditation like state.

Breathwork or Hyperoxygenation

Kundalini yoga (breathwork) practice has been around for thousands of years, but now another form of breathing practice was developed.  “Holotropic breathing” – or Shamanic breathing – works by creating a temporary excess of oxygen in the blood.  Oxygen goes into the brain, suppressing normal thought patterns and allowing consciousness to emerge. These practices are best in a guided setting with trained practitioners for maximum effect.

Fasting

Numerous cultures from around the world have utilized the tradition of fasting to clear the mind and body.  Although challenging at first, people report having extreme clarity from fasting.

Make the Choice

Ultimately, YOU are in control of YOUR mind. As much as you would like to think otherwise, you really are the boss.  If you want to still your mind, CHOOSE to still your mind.  It’s a powerful move we always have available, but often overlook its full potential.

 

What Testing Can Help Determine Whether You Have Overtraining Syndrome (OTS)

Whether you are a cross-country runner, a triathlon athlete, or a strength trainer, understanding OTS is critical to avoid long-term overtraining problems. Nearly every extreme athlete has at one time or another experienced at the very least a mild form of overreaching. However, OTS is much more serious and can lead to complications if left untreated.

If you’re worried you have OTS, here are a few ways you can test yourself for it.

Symptoms of OTS

First things first, identify the symptoms of OTS and burn them into your brain. If you’re serious about your training, you need to arm yourself with information to prevent serious problems. A few of the most common symptoms to be on the lookout for include:

  • Frequent infections (a sign of a weakened immune symptom)
  • Poor or inadequate sleep
  • Unexplained and out-of-the-norm heavy, stiff, and sore muscles
  • Mood swings
  • A lack of energy
  • Decreased sex drive
  • Lack of appetite

These are some of the most common symptoms, but if anything seems out of the norm for you, check with your doctor first.

What it Isn’t

To clear the air, remember that all athletes go through dips in their training. For some, these dips cause a complete halt to training. It’s normal during these ‘dips’ to feel drained, have a lack of drive to train, and even to suffer from colds or other illnesses. These are just signs to slow down, and usually clear up in two weeks or less. OTS doesn’t allow for that quick of a recovery.

How to Test for OTS

Here are a few simple steps you can take to test yourself for OTS.

Step 1. Recognize the Symptoms

In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, a few others might include:

  • Decreased performance, and struggling to get moving because of a “dead legs” feeling.
  • Clinical depression
  • Constant injuries, aches and pains.

Step 2. Track Your Resting Heart Rate

Another thing you can do to identify training issues is to track your resting heart rate. Do this by lightly placing two fingers on the inside of your wrist to locate your radical pulse. You can also do this on your neck by finding the carotid pulse. Count each beat for 10 seconds, then multiply that number by 6 to find your beats per minute. Do this before you get out of bed in the morning for the most accurate result.

The average adult’s resting heart rate is anywhere from 60-80 per minute. Highly conditioned athletes may have a resting heart rate of as low as 32! What you’re looking for is elevation. If your average number jumps up by 5-10 bpm, you may need to scale back your training.

Step 3. Take a Stress Test

Have your MD perform a stress test for a comprehensive look at where your body is and compare that with your mental state. When you take all of the testing above together, you are in a good position to determine if you’re suffering from OTS.

Want More Information?

Still not clear on what you can do to figure out if you have OTS? Then we want to help. We’ll help you find the resources you need to gain a better understanding of your training program and how to avoid OTS.

What is the latest scientific thinking around Overtraining Syndrome – (a summary of the latest peer reviewed research)

Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) is a common, but often misunderstood topic among athletes…and medical professionals. Because of the nature of this syndrome, it is worth investigative study.

As a result of several recently released peer-reviewed studies, scientists have come to a few important conclusions regarding overtraining. If you train hard, are planning a marathon, or spend a good deal of your time in the gym, this information is critical to your health and happiness.

Overreaching Isn’t Bad—Until It Is

For starters, recently reviewed studies show that successful training does involve some overreaching. After studying hundreds of athletes, researchers came to the conclusion that athletes can experience short-term performance improvement without long-term psychological or physiological symptoms. Known as ‘functional overreaching’, this strategy can actually lead to improved performance with enough recovery time. Avoiding inadequate recovery is a must to avoid the damaging side-effects of overtraining.

For athletes training to increase performance, increasing training loads is the only way to achieve the desired results. However, these increased loads are only tolerated by the body when proper rest is in place. Scientists recommend athletes view rest as a part of the training process, not something to work around.

When overreaching goes overboard, and is coupled with an additional stressor, OTS can result. In the end, overreaching that is followed by the appropriate amount of rest can increase performance—which is precisely what athletes are looking for.

Finding Balance is Important

All athletes go through bouts of minor fatigue and severe reductions in performance thanks to the training process. Problems develop when training stress and recovery aren’t in balance. These researchers stress balancing rest with training for the best performance, physical and physiological results.

Recent research shows that OTS may be caused by systemic inflammation and effects on the central nervous system leading to central fatigue, depressed mood, and neurohormonal changes. All of this can only occur when the body is placed under extreme stress for extended periods of time. Failure to find balance between training and rest causes a failure of the body’s most important systems.

Unfortunately, there is no hard evidence to show whether overreaching precedes overtraining, nor evidence to show that overtraining symptoms are more severe than overreaching symptoms. This in turn has caused some confusion regarding the key markers for overreaching and overtraining within the sports and athletic field. Some researchers are calling for more critical analysis of research before markers are proposed.

More Information Is Needed

Despite research studies, OTS as a clinical diagnosis is typically defined by investigative research on overreached and not overtrained athletes. In most cases, overreaching develops as a result of intense training and is generally seen as ‘normal’ for extreme athletes, and takes approximately 2 weeks to recover from. Recovering from overtraining, on the other hand, can take months to years. This distinction hasn’t gone unnoticed, but is largely misunderstood by the scientific community.

Your Take Away

Developing a training program that incorporates adequate rest is the first step towards better performance and finding balance. While the jury is still out on what defines each of these syndromes, playing it safe with plenty of resting and recovery time is the best plan of action.

Need more information about Overtraining Syndrome? Curious as to how you can avoid it? Then follow us, we provide accurate information about OTS and much more.

What is Overtraining Syndrome (OTS)?

Some believe it’s a myth. Others take it so seriously they are conscious not to challenge their bodies past a certain point – they work hard to understand the breakpoint between healthy exertive stress and destructive overtraining.

Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) is a real condition. It affects countless athletes and amateur gym goers every single day.

Whether you’ve been lifting weights or competing in triathlons for years or are new to fitness related pursuits, it’s important to be aware that overtraining can lead to serious physiological, neurological, and hormonal issues. In extreme cases, it can even cause death.

Unfortunately, most people who suffer from Overtraining Syndrome don’t know they are. How can you prevent overtraining, and what are the signs and symptoms you need to look out for? Let’s take a closer look at these questions and what they can mean for you.

The Ins and Outs of OTS

According to a study published by Jeffery B. Kreher, MD and Jennifer B. Schwartz, MD, OTS is a maladapted response to excessive exercises without adequate rest, resulting in changes to the neurological, endocrinologic, immunological systems and mood.

There are three stages of OTS, these include the following.

Stage One: Stress Adaptation

  • Plateauing performance
  • Early Stage adrenal gland dysfunction
  • Poor recovery
  • Elevated Cortisol Levels
  • Diminished libido
  • Depression
  • Increasing resting heart rate
  • Increased insulin levels
  • Low sodium levels
  • Irregular menses

Stage 2: Sympathetic Overtraining

  • Often referred to as overreaching
  • Plateaued performance
  • Poor recovery
  • Early stage adrenal gland dysfunction
  • Elevated cortisol
  • Irregular periods
  • Dip in libido
  • Mild depression

Stage 3: Parasympathetic Overtraining

  • Plateaued performance
  • Poor or limited recovery
  • Early stage adrenal gland dysfunction
  • Clinical depression
  • Low resting heart rate
  • Increased insulin
  • Low sodium

What Can You Do to Avoid Overtraining?

It’s important to recognize that overtraining does offer some benefits, particularly stage 1. You can see significant gains during this period if you take plenty of time to rest after heavy trainings. Decrease the stress you’re putting your body through or over-rest. The key is to strike a balance between the two. A few simple ways you can do this include:

  • Cut training by 75-100% if needed
  • Eliminate high-intensity anaerobic training
  • Replace with a low to non-impact activity

Unfortunately, if you find yourself in full overtraining mode, complete with elevated cortisol levels and depression, you will need more than rest to fully recover. The next step is to see a specialist who understands how overtraining damages the body and what can be done to reverse the process.

When To Seek Professional Help

If you’re suffering from the symptoms listed in stage 2 and 3, it’s time to seek the help of a real professional. Medical doctors can help, but what you require is someone who has helped others suffering from similar training issues. That’s where we can help. We work with OTS patients on a regular basis and can guide you as you recover.