Day 4: The Mood Swing Connection

Irritable? Anxious? It Might Be Overtraining, Not Life Stress

When workouts start messing with your mood, your body’s telling you something you can’t ignore.

Exercise usually lifts mood, thanks to endorphins. But overdo it, and the opposite happens—irritability, anxiety, even depression. Overtraining disrupts cortisol and serotonin balance, pushing the nervous system into constant stress mode. Studies link overexercising to higher rates of depression and mood instability in athletes (Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 2013).

If you find yourself snapping at loved ones, restless, or oddly flat after workouts, it may not be “life stress.” It could be training stress.

Practical Step: Do a weekly mood check. If you’re more irritable than inspired, swap one workout this week for a relaxing activity like a walk outdoors, reading, or stretching.