Why you might feel sad or anxious after intense exercise, and how you can minimise it

Right. We’re a couple of weeks into 2021, and you’ve embarked on a new, high-intensity exercise regime.

Full of enthusiasm, you launched into boot camp, went to your first spinning class or started running up and down hills in the bush.

But afterwards, instead of basking in a warm post-workout glow, you felt close to tears.

A session of intense exercise commonly makes us feel pretty good — it boosts positive emotions and lowers negative ones.

Yet this isn’t the case for everyone, and not all the time. And if it sounds familiar, you are certainly not alone.