Q: My 24-year-old son spends long hours in the gym on a daily basis. Is he becoming exercise dependent?

JK, Jamshedpur

The reasons for exercise dependence are presumably a combination of physiological, psychological and social factors. These days we lay great emphasis on appearance and performance. So it’s not unlikely for some people to become self-absorbed and obsessed with exercising. This has the potential to lead to an addiction to exercise — the daily workout becomes obligatory, even if the person is feeling unwell or is injured from a previous exercise session. Improvement, record keeping and calorie counting become part of the obsession. When exercise addicts are prevented from exercising, they suffer withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, sleeplessness and guilt. In fact, excessive exercise can result in problems such as stress fractures, joint injuries, immune-system weakening, eating disorders, and in women, menstrual irregularity.

Q: Sometimes after exercising my head begins to spin and I feel as if I am going to pass out. I realise that the feeling isn’t normal. Please advise.

BB, Haldia

Feeling light-headed and/or dizzy are not normal reactions to exercise. After an aerobic exercise session, you should feel invigorated. It seems like you are working extraordinarily hard. Do you eat anything before exercising? Are you hydrating your system during the routine? What is your overall fluid intake? Although an exact diagnosis based on your description can’t be offered, here are a few suggestions:

Eat a snack prior to exercising. If you have less than one hour before your session, fewer than 200 calories is recommended. A fruit and a couple of crackers work well for many. Your snack can be a bit larger if you have two hours or so till your workout begins: one small plain bagel with jam, a piece of fruit and yoghurt, or two or three fig bars and a cup of milk or juice.

Drink 16 oz. of fluid two hours before a workout. This promotes hydration and allows enough time to excrete any excess liquid.

Drink fluids during exercise to prevent dehydration due to sweating.

If you are exercising for more than 60 minutes, add some fuel to your water with a sports drink. These fluid replacement drinks include glucose and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) to help with fluid intake and absorption.

Seeking medical advice is a good idea if these strategies don’t help. Eating properly and hydrating yourself, getting enough rest and watching your breathing pattern as you exercise should help make your workouts more productive.