Learn · Overtraining
Overtraining recovery: how long it takes and how to come back
If you've recognised the signs of overtraining, the hardest part is accepting that the fix isn't more training. Here's what recovery involves, how long it usually takes, and a step-by-step way back to full training.[1][2]
General information, not medical advice. For an injury, or pain that is severe or not improving, see a doctor or physiotherapist.
Recovering from overtraining means rest (complete rest or very easy "relative rest"), fixing what caused it (usually too little sleep, too little food or too much life stress on top of training), ruling out other medical causes with a doctor, and then returning gradually: build the duration of easy sessions first, from 5–10 minutes a day up to about an hour, before adding intensity.[1][2] Mild overreaching can clear in days to weeks; full overtraining syndrome takes months.[1]
How long does overtraining recovery take?
| Stage | What it means | Typical recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Functional overreaching | A planned hard block. Performance dips, then improves after rest | Days to weeks[1] |
| Non-functional overreaching | Too much for too long. Full recovery after rest, but with mood and hormonal symptoms | Weeks to months[1] |
| Overtraining syndrome | Performance stays down for more than 2 months, with more severe symptoms | Months, and can end an athletic career[1] |
Doctors often can only tell which stage it was afterwards. If performance comes back within about 14–21 days of rest, it is usually classed as non-functional overreaching; if it takes longer, some classify it as overtraining syndrome.[1] It's also more common than people think: in one survey of elite adolescent athletes, about 30% reported non-functional overreaching at least once, averaging two episodes of four weeks each.[1]
Step 1: Stop trying to train your way out
When performance drops, the natural reaction is to train harder. With overtraining, that makes it worse. The first step is to accept that you need less, not more.
Step 2: See a doctor and rule out other causes
Plenty of other things look like overtraining: an infection you haven't shaken off, low iron, a thyroid problem, or simply not eating enough. A doctor can check, and treating the real cause may be what fixes it.
Overtraining syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion. The consensus recommends excluding organic disease, infections, negative energy balance, insufficient carbohydrate or protein intake, iron and magnesium deficiency, allergies and other factors.[2] Any underlying disease should be treated appropriately.[1]
Step 3: Rest, or relative rest
Some people do best with a complete break. Others feel more anxious and low without any exercise, and do better with very easy movement while they recover. Both are valid. Choose the one that helps you actually rest, and agree clear limits so easy doesn't creep back into hard.
Treatment of non-functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome is rest, though some propose relative rest is more appropriate. It is unclear which strategy is best. If stress, depression or anxiety increase with full rest, relative rest with well-defined expectations is suggested. Given the psychological overlap, a sports psychologist or other mental health professional may be involved.[1]
Step 4: Fix the fuel
Training hard without eating enough is one of the most common hidden causes. Your body can't rebuild without enough energy, carbohydrate and protein, however much you rest.
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is impaired physiological function, including metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis and cardiovascular health, caused by energy intake that doesn't match the demands of training and daily life. It affects both men and women.[3] Carbohydrate drives the refilling of muscle glycogen,[4] and protein supports muscle repair after training.[5]
Step 5: Protect your sleep
Sleep is part of the treatment, not an extra. Disrupted sleep is a near-universal feature of overtraining syndrome,[1] and adequate sleep is listed among the preventive measures.[1] In adolescent athletes, sleeping under 8 hours a night was linked to 1.7 times the injury risk.[6] Keep a regular bedtime and aim for enough hours every night.
Step 6: Return gradually
- Start tiny. 5–10 minutes of easy exercise a day.[1]
- Build time, not effort. Increase the duration of easy sessions until about an hour is comfortable.[1]
- Then add intensity gradually, one harder session at a time, with easy days around it.
- Step back if symptoms return. That's information, not failure.
The pace of each step depends on you and how long you were overtrained. Agree it with your doctor, physiotherapist or coach.
Step 7: Monitor so it doesn't happen again
Keep a simple daily note: how hard sessions felt, mood, sleep and soreness. When a normal session starts feeling harder than usual, that's your early warning to ease off.
No single marker reliably detects overtraining, so monitoring should combine several measures and be individual: perceived effort, heart rate, questionnaires and diaries, and sleep quality and quantity are all used.[7] One of the first signs of overreaching is a higher rating of perceived effort for the same workload. In one study, collegiate swimmers' burnout rate fell from 10% to zero when training load was reduced whenever mood scores dropped.[1]
How to prevent it next time
- Plan training in cycles, with lighter weeks and tapering before competition.[1]
- Adjust volume and intensity based on performance and mood, not just the plan.[1]
- Eat enough for your training load, including carbohydrate, and stay hydrated.[1][3]
- Prioritise sleep.[1][6]
- Leave more than 6 hours between training sessions on double days.[1]
- Don't train through infection, heat illness or periods of high life stress.[1]
Where cooling fits
Cooling can't fix overtraining: the treatment is rest and addressing the causes.[1][2] It can help during the gradual return, when joints and muscles that haven't been loaded for a while feel sore again. Recoolvery+ is not an ice pack. It's a cooling recovery wrap with freezable HypoCarbon® pads that conduct heat 15× better than ice,[8][9] held on hands-free for 15–60 minutes while you rest.[10]
Questions
How long does it take to recover from overtraining?
It depends on the stage. Functional overreaching usually recovers in days to weeks, non-functional overreaching in weeks to months, and overtraining syndrome takes months, with performance down for more than two months.
How do you recover from overtraining?
Rest or relative rest, see a doctor to rule out other causes, fix sleep and nutrition, reduce other stress, then return gradually by building the duration of easy sessions before adding intensity.
Should I stop exercising completely?
Not necessarily. Rest is the standard treatment, but some people do better with relative rest: very easy activity with clear limits. If complete rest makes you more stressed or anxious, relative rest may suit you better. Decide with your doctor or coach.
How do I return to training after overtraining?
Start with 5 to 10 minutes of easy exercise a day and build duration until about an hour is comfortable, before adding any intensity. Step back if symptoms return.
Can not eating enough cause overtraining symptoms?
Yes. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), caused by not eating enough for your training, impairs metabolism, immunity, bone health, hormones and performance, and can look very similar to overtraining. A doctor or sports dietitian can help.
How do I know I've recovered?
Your performance returns to previous levels, sessions feel normal for their effort, and mood, sleep and motivation are back to normal. Keep monitoring as you build back up, since symptoms can return if load rises too fast.
References
- Kreher JB, Schwartz JB. Overtraining syndrome: a practical guide. Sports Health, 2012. doi.org/10.1177/1941738111434406
- Meeusen R, Duclos M, Foster C, et al. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome (ECSS/ACSM joint consensus). Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2013. doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318279a10a
- Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen J, Burke L, et al. The IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-093502
- Burke LM, van Loon LJC, Hawley JA. Postexercise muscle glycogen resynthesis in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2017. doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00860.2016
- Phillips SM, Tipton KD, Aarsland A, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR. Mixed muscle protein synthesis and breakdown after resistance exercise in humans. American Journal of Physiology, 1997. doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.1997.273.1.E99
- Milewski MD, Skaggs DL, Bishop GA, et al. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with increased sports injuries in adolescent athletes. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, 2014. doi.org/10.1097/BPO.0000000000000151
- Halson SL. Monitoring training load to understand fatigue in athletes. Sports Medicine, 2014. doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0253-z
- HypoCarbon® thermal conductivity (35.0 W/m·K): Global Healthcare SG in-house testing of the proprietary formulation. Unpublished company data, available to clinical and trade partners on request.
- Slack GA. Thermal conductivity of ice. Physical Review B, 1980. doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.22.3065
- Recoolvery+ product specifications and care guide: session length, refreeze time, pad life and materials. recoolvery.com/products/recoolvery-wrap
Recoolvery+
Cooling for your recovery routine
Not an ice pack. Freezable HypoCarbon® pads in a hands-free wrap for the knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle and back. HypoCarbon® conducts heat 15× better than ice. Cold only, no heating.
See the Recoolvery+ Wrap