What Are the Dangers of Working Out While Exhausted?

The benefits of exercise are myriad, and include a decreased risk of heart disease, better physical fitness, fewer muscle aches and pains, a decreased risk of cancer and a potentially longer life. Given these benefits, it's understandable that you might try to squeeze in your workout at the end of an exhausting day or push yourself to keep going after you've reached the point of physical exhaustion. But exercising when you're exhausted can be risky, so it's best to work out when you can focus on what you're doing without feeling tired.

Muscle Injuries

• When you exercise while exhausted, it's more difficult to maintain proper form. This can increase muscle strain and make it easier to overextend your muscles. Exercising past the point of exhaustion or forcing yourself into exercises you're not ready for can result in muscle strains and sprains, muscle fatigue and soreness for days after you exercise. If you continue exercising even with sore muscles, you could end up with even more severe pain.

Falls

• One of the most serious risks of exercising when you're exhausted is falling. When you're tired, you might not notice potholes in the road while you run or you might struggle to lift a weight or bend your body properly. This can lead to tripping and even falling. The risks range from minor bruises to broken bones and even head injuries.

Overheating

• The National Institutes of Health advises that exercising when you're already exhausted or exercising past the point of exhaustion can lead to overheating. Your body can effectively cool you down by sweating, but if you continue exercising once you're already overheating, you could become dehydrated, making it challenging for your body to cool itself.

Oxygen Deprivation

• When you exercise past the point of exhaustion, it can be more challenging to breathe correctly, and your body can struggle to get enough oxygen. Oxygen is key for healthy exercise, and if you're not getting enough, your heart rate could skyrocket. You may also experience muscle pain or feel faint. This can be especially dangerous if you're exercising away from home. You could, for example, be running a mile away from home and end up feeling dizzy, with no way of safely getting back.

Overtraining

• Even if you're not tired when you begin exercising, you can end up overtraining if you exercise to excess or continue exercising way past the point of exhaustion. The American Council on Exercise reports that this can lead to moodiness, trouble sleeping, menstrual cycle disturbances, an elevated heart rate and chronic fatigue.