Which of the following is a key indicator of overreaching/overtraining syndrome related to autonomic and hormonal changes?

Which of the following is a key indicator of overreaching/overtraining syndrome related to autonomic and hormonal changes?

• A. Short-term fatigue and transient mood changes.
• B. Prolonged fatigue, performance decrements, resting tachycardia or bradycardia, reduced HRV, sleep disturbances, and mood changes
• C. Enhanced athletic performance with stable mood.
• D. No changes in sleep or mood.

Answer: (B)

Overreaching and overtraining show a systemic mismatch between training stress and recovery, driven by autonomic and hormonal disruptions. The body’s autonomic balance shifts toward sympathetic dominance with reduced parasympathetic activity, which shows up as resting heart rate changes and lower heart rate variability. Hormonal dysregulation, including heightened stress hormones and disrupted sleep-wake cycles, further worsens fatigue and mood. When these autonomic and hormonal signs are combined with prolonged fatigue, clear performance decrements, sleep disturbances, and mood changes, it points to a maladaptive training response rather than normal fatigue. Short-term fatigue or mood swings, stable performance, or no sleep/mood changes are not characteristic of this autonomic-hormonal syndrome.

Overreaching and overtraining show a systemic mismatch between training stress and recovery, driven by autonomic and hormonal disruptions. The body’s autonomic balance shifts toward sympathetic dominance with reduced parasympathetic activity, which shows up as resting heart rate changes and lower heart rate variability. Hormonal dysregulation, including heightened stress hormones and disrupted sleep-wake cycles, further worsens fatigue and mood. When these autonomic and hormonal signs are combined with prolonged fatigue, clear performance decrements, sleep disturbances, and mood changes, it points to a maladaptive training response rather than normal fatigue. Short-term fatigue or mood swings, stable performance, or no sleep/mood changes are not characteristic of this autonomic-hormonal syndrome.