If the COVID-19 pandemic has left you tired of working out, you’re not alone.

Here’s the science behind why and how to deal.

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When things are tough, exercise can be a form of stress relief.

woman sweating in the gym

Kristen Dieffenbach, PhD is an associate professor of athletic coaching education at West Virginia University. In addition to teaching, she is the president of the United States Center For Coaching Excellence.

In addition to teaching, she is the president of the United States Center For Coaching Excellence.

Matthew Stults-Kolehmainen, PhD is a clinical exercise psychologist specializing in the connection between psychological stress and physical activity/exercise.

Thats because exercise in itself is a stressor.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

Stress becomes bad when we violate those rules, says Stults-Kolehmainen.

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Anything that feels uncontrollable is going to make stress much worse.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

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Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

You should come home from a workout physically drained and mentally refreshed, says Dieffenbach.

If you feeldrained on both fronts, youre likely over-stressing your body.

Then theres your perception of that stress.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

Exercise can become both a physiological stressor and a mental one, which is not the goal of anyone.

The major problem here?

Its that cumulative buildup of stress and fatigue that can spell disaster.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

What youre trying to avoid is overtraining and burnout.

Its generally a combination of life stressors coupled with higher-intensity training that causes those issues, says Dieffenbach.

Can you still use exercise to ease the stress of everything going on right now?

Or are you so tense that youre going to be fighting yourself to get the outcome you want?

If youre feeling run down, think about alternatives to your go-to workout, she says.

If youre a runner, go for a walk.

If you love spin classes, go for a chill bike ride.

Think about warming upthat punch in of intensity should be relaxing, he says.

If you still feel bad, continue at warm-up intensity.

And if you feel worse, call it a day and do some stretching or light yoga instead.

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