238. What Your Post-Workout Crash Is Really Telling You About Your Body

Hey friend,  Have you ever pushed through a workout and then crashed hard the next day, not just sore, but achy, foggy, exhausted in a way that didn't make sense? What if the exercise advice you've been following was designed for a body that isn't managing what yours is managing? If your body is telling you something every time it crashes after a workout, what might it actually be saying? I'm Ashley — a mom living with chronic illness in a neurodivergent family. If you're dealing with constant fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, and broken sleep while trying to keep up with your kids, you're not alone. Chronic Illness Moms is a podcast for moms with chronic illness or chronic symptoms who want stress relief, better sleep, and simple, realistic habits that actually work inside a full, demanding life. If you've ever pushed through a workout, felt genuinely proud of yourself, and then woken up the next morning feeling like you got hit by a truck, this one's for you. I'm giving that crash a name (post-exertional malaise, and no, you're not imagining it), walking you through why your body has a smaller energy budget when you're managing chronic illness, and showing you the kind of movement that actually works with a depleted body instead of against it. No more white-knuckling your way through a workout just to pay for it two days later. This is what actually works for a body like yours.   Part 3: Resources and Links Mentioned 1:1 chronic health coaching: https://ashleybraden.com/coaching Join the free Chronic Health Moms Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms Hearthwell Naturals magnesium cream (mentioned for bedtime wind-down): https://payhip.com/hearthwellnaturals   Related Episodes: 201. When Chronic Illness Interrupts Your Exercise Plan Here’s How to Move Forward Without Guilt 199. Want to Exercise but Keep Failing? Why Doing It "Right" Doesn’t Work With Chronic Illness   Connect with Me: Contact → [email protected] Facebook Page → https://www.facebook.com/chronicillnessmoms Facebook Group → https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/chronicillnessmoms YouTube → https://bit.ly/chronicillnessyoutube Next Steps: This week, try one gentle movement swap on a hard body day, walk, stretch, or get on a vibration plate. Check in with yourself the next morning. Join a free community of chronic illness moms who get it, no explanations required: facebook.com/groups/chronichealthmoms Ready to start building toward who you actually want to be? Book a Feel Better Coaching call at ashleybraden.com/coaching