Why Slowing Down Could Be Just as Important as Pushing Harder

We talk a lot about training.

Getting stronger. Improving fitness. Moving more. Eating better. Being consistent.

But there’s another part of our health that we probably don’t talk about enough and thats our nervous system and our ability to regulate it.

And before this starts sounding like a science lesson, it really doesn’t need to be complicated.

Understanding your nervous system can help explain why you sometimes feel energised, focused and ready to take on the world – and why at other times you feel exhausted, irritable, anxious, overwhelmed or like you simply can’t switch off.

More importantly, it can help us understand why recovery isn’t something we should feel guilty about!

Your Body Has a Stress Mode and a Recovery Mode

In very simple terms, our autonomic nervous system helps regulate many of the things our body does automatically.

Two important parts of this are the sympathetic nervous system, often associated with our “fight or flight” response, and the parasympathetic nervous system, associated with “rest and digest.”

Fight or flight isn’t a bad thing.

We need it.

It’s part of what gets us out of bed, helps us respond to challenges and allows us to push ourselves during a tough training session.

The problem comes when we spend too much of our lives feeling like the accelerator is permanently pressed down.

Think about a normal day.

The alarm goes off. You check your phone. There are emails and messages waiting. You’ve got work to deal with. The kids need sorting. You’re rushing from one thing to another. You train. You grab food on the go. Your phone continues buzzing throughout the evening and then, when you finally get into bed, your brain is still going.

There might not be a tiger chasing you, but your body is still having to deal with constant demands and stimulation.

Over time, that can take its toll.

Stress and anxiety can contribute to problems such as difficulty sleeping, tiredness, tension, digestive symptoms, low mood and palpitations.

And when sleep and recovery start suffering, everything else can become harder too.

This Can Be Particularly Relevant During Perimenopause and Menopause

This is something I think is particularly important for women to understand.

Perimenopause and menopause involve significant hormonal changes, and the experience is different for every woman.

But symptoms can include anxiety, mood changes, problems with concentration and memory, disturbed sleep, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, joint and muscle aches and changes in body composition.

That can create something of a vicious circle.

You’re already dealing with work, family, relationships, training and everything else life throws at you.

Then your sleep becomes disrupted.

You feel more anxious or irritable.

Your energy isn’t what it used to be.

Training suddenly feels harder to recover from.

And quite often the response is:

“I just need to try harder.”

But sometimes trying harder isn’t what your body needs.

Sometimes we need to look at the total amount of stress we’re carrying.

The British Menopause Society highlights the interaction between hormonal changes, hot flushes and night sweats, sleep problems, stress, anxiety and low mood during the menopause transition.

So this isn’t about telling women to stop exercising or avoid challenging themselves.

Quite the opposite.

Regular exercise, particularly strength and weight-bearing exercise remains incredibly important during perimenopause and menopause. The NHS recommends regular exercise alongside good nutrition, adequate rest and activities that help with relaxation and mental wellbeing.

It’s about recognising that more isn’t always better.

Your ability to recover matters too.

And This Absolutely Isn’t Just a Women’s Issue

Although menopause gives us a very good reason to have this conversation, nervous-system regulation matters to everyone.

Men aren’t immune to chronic stress.

Work pressures, financial worries, relationships, parenting, poor sleep, excessive training, alcohol, caffeine and being permanently connected to a phone can all add to the load we’re carrying.

And one of the traps we can fall into, particularly with exercise is thinking that every session needs to leave us exhausted to be worthwhile.

It doesn’t.

Training itself is a stressor.

It’s a positive stressor when it’s appropriately programmed and balanced with recovery.

That’s how we adapt.

We challenge the body, then give it the opportunity to recover and become stronger.

If we’re training hard while sleeping five hours a night, eating poorly, working ridiculous hours and feeling permanently stressed, we can’t necessarily solve that by adding another brutal workout.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your progress is support your recovery.

So How Do We Regulate Our Nervous System?

You don’t need an elaborate morning routine, an ice bath or an hour of meditation every day.

Start with the basics.

Breathe.

Try taking just 60 seconds.

Sit comfortably and breathe slowly through your nose for four seconds.

Pause for four.

Then breathe out slowly for four seconds.

Repeat that a few times.

The important part isn’t getting the numbers absolutely perfect. It’s simply slowing things down and making the exhale relaxed and controlled.

Then look at the bigger picture.

Regular exercise. Walking. Getting outside. Spending time with people you enjoy. Creating some space away from your phone. Eating properly. Having a consistent bedtime. Reducing alcohol. Taking genuine rest days.

They all contribute to an environment where your body has an opportunity to recover.

And if you’re experiencing symptoms that you think could be related to perimenopause or menopause, don’t assume that you simply have to put up with them. Speak to a healthcare professional about what’s happening and the treatment and support options available to you.

Health Is More Than How Hard You Can Train

At 10X, we’re big believers in challenging people.

We want you getting stronger.

We want you feeling better.

We want you improving your fitness.

We want you doing things you didn’t think you were capable of doing.

But health isn’t about spending your entire life pushing harder.

It’s about knowing when to push and when to recover.

That’s why we look beyond the hour you spend in the gym.

Your training matters, but so does your sleep.

Your nutrition matters, but so does your stress.

Your daily movement matters, but so does giving yourself permission to occasionally slow down.

Because the goal isn’t simply to survive another hard workout.

It’s to build a body and a lifestyle that allows you to feel, perform and live better for the long term.

The stronger your recovery tools, the stronger your results can be.

And sometimes that starts with something as simple as taking a breath.