HOW MUCH YOGA IS TOO MUCH?

Have you ever wondered how much Yoga is too much?

For the average person, this isn’t a question you need to ask. The chances of fitting “too much” Yoga into a busy life are very slim. There’s just not enough time in the day to do everything you have to do AND max out on those Yoga classes.

But if you’re worried that you’re overdoing it, we’ve got you covered!

Below, we’ll answer the question “How much Yoga is too much?” and look at the warning signs that will let you know you’re taking it too far.

By the end of this post, you’ll know what to watch out for and how to rein it in before you injure yourself doing Yoga.

How Much Yoga is Too Much?

I’m going to be honest with you: it’s very difficult to do too much Yoga!

Yoga can be physically demanding, like any other form of exercise, but it incorporates a lot of relaxation, stretching, and meditation techniques that help to balance out the physical intensity. You have to do A LOT of Yoga to get anywhere near the “too much” mark.

That being said, there are a few warning signs that will make it clear that you’re pushing your body too hard or spending too much time in Yoga practice:

• Higher rate of injuries. Yoga is typically a gentle practice, one that involves very few high-risk movements that could cause injuries. However, when you push your body too hard—to the edge of or beyond its limits—your risk of injuries drastically increases due to fatigue, overwork, or soft tissue strain. If you’re constantly achy, in pain, or suffering from injuries (particularly to your joints), it’s likely a sign that you’re overdoing it with the Yoga practice.

• Fatigue. Your body needs a certain amount of time and energy to recover from very intense exercise. If it doesn’t have that necessary time and receive the required calories, it will begin to experience fatigue. But it’s not just the usual sort of fatigue you feel after a hardcore Yoga workout—it goes beyond it to a weariness that not even rest and a good meal can cure. Excessive fatigue is one of the most common signs of overtraining, and it’s a good warning sign that you need to slow down and reduce your workload.

• Demotivation. This is another very common side effect of overworking and overtraining. Because of the mental and physical fatigue you are feeling, you’ll likely experience a loss or decrease in motivation. You’ll have little or no desire to exercise, and you’ll feel half-hearted as you go through the motions—or simply find excuses not to exercise. There are many things that can contribute to demotivation, but over-exercising is one of the most common factors.

• No social life. A lot of people who dive deep into Yoga can get a bit consumed by the exercise, the meditation, the breathing, and all of the other facets of the Yoga lifestyle. This only becomes problematic when you let it interfere with your social life. A sign that you’re doing too much Yoga is that you only practice Yoga in your spare time, and use it as an excuse to avoid your friends, family, and social engagements.

• No rest days. Your body needs a day to rest and recover, even from light exercise. If you’re doing intense workouts 7 days a week, eventually you’re going to reach the point of “burnout”—both physically and mentally. There are many relaxing Yoga workouts you can do to “take a day off”, but if you’re doing back to back max-intensity Yoga sessions every day of the week, it’s a sign you’re likely doing too much.

• Lack of sleep. When the Yoga practice starts to interfere with your sleep, that’s a warning sign for sure. Many people enjoy waking up to do Yoga before or with sunrise, or doing late night Yoga to relax before bed. But when you work out late into the night and wake up early after too few hours of sleep, rest assured that you’re approaching the realm of overdoing it—and your body will soon start to show the negative repercussions of sleep loss.

• Pushing yourself too hard. Yoga is all about finding your pace, your comfort zone, your skill level. However, when you start pushing yourself to tackle poses that are too advanced or taking classes that are too intense, it’s a good sign that you’re doing more than is safe or healthy.

• Your breath is out of sync. This is possibly one of the best warning signs that you’re doing too much Yoga or pushing too hard! Your breath should always be in sync with your movements, and any experienced Yoga practitioner will be accustomed to controlling their breathing. However, if you’re over-training or pushing to exhaustion, you may find you’re puffing, out of breath, or struggling to control your breathing even through light, relaxing movements. Labored breath is a very clear indication that you’re working too hard and need to take it easy.

How Much Yoga is Too Much? See Results with ONE HOUR PER DAY!

If you’re pushing hard to do more Yoga, it’s likely because you’re wanting to see more results at a faster pace. That’s no surprise—it’s what we all want!

But overworking and doing too much Yoga can be dangerous for your mind and body both. You could risk injury, impair your mental health, even cause a nervous or physical breakdown.

The key to getting real results is doing the most effective workouts in a healthy amount of time. Day after day, week after week, it’s only through regular practice that you’ll see the change in your body that you’re hoping for.