Exercise and mito

Before we talk about the best exercises, let's discuss exercise behaviour. Your behaviour is influenced by how your body works. When your mitochondria aren't working well, exercising can be tough. To exercise daily you need motivation, ability, and opportunity.

When you have energy, you feel more motivated to move. But when your energy is low, you feel tired, and physical activity becomes hard. This affects your ability and reduces any opportunity you may have to exercise.

Think of your body like a rechargeable battery. The number of dysfunctional mitochondria you have determines the size of your "battery" and how much energy you can use before needing to recharge. Your mitochondrial function naturally declines as you age, making your "battery" smaller. If you have mito, your "battery" is even smaller. So, it’s vital to monitor your energy use to exercise safely and consistently.

“When exercise becomes challenging, I listen to my body, but when I can, I try to persist. I often feel better afterwards and like to refuel with a high-protein drink.”

— Michelle, adult with mito (2025)

Increasing your body battery

When your battery is small, it takes less activity to drain it, making you feel tired and needing more rest throughout the day. You can increase the size of your battery with regular exercise. This stimulates your body to make more tiny blood vessels to deliver fuel (like glucose, fats, and proteins) to your muscles. This makes your body better at producing and using energy.

Your battery is usually at its fullest in the morning after a good night's sleep. As you go through your day, activities and stress drain your energy, while a healthy diet, short naps, and restful moments can help recharge you. But things like illness, pain, alcohol, and stress can prevent this.

Monitoring your energy levels

Listening to your body and noticing your symptoms can help you keep track of your energy levels. Get to know your symptoms and how they affect you. Do you experience any ‘warning signs’ before your symptoms get worse? Recognising what's normal for you may prevent you from overdoing it, which could lead to days of extreme fatigue. A smartwatch may help you monitor your energy levels throughout the day. Physical activity, stress, rest, and sleep can all impact your energy levels. Monitoring this helps you build healthy habits that work best for you and your type of mito.

“At first, I couldn’t imagine how exercise could help me feel less exhausted. I started slow and listened to my body, noticing when energy was low, my difficulty swallowing was usually my first warning sign. I could recognise these signs, rest and prevent a mito crash. But it all took time and patience.”

— Laura, adult with mito (2025)

Engaging in social activities is important for your wellbeing. When you have energy use it to exercise, tackle projects, and get things done. These activities may tire you but they boost your fitness. They also stimulate your mitochondria to make more energy.

When your energy levels are low, listen to your body and rest when you can. Overdoing it can make it harder to recover the next day. Getting enough rest supports your overall wellbeing.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all diet for people with mito. Your dietary needs depend on your type of mito and your health.¹⁰ A healthy diet is vital to keep your body at its best and give you lots of energy. A good diet can help your mitochondria function efficiently.

Staying well-nourished and hydrated before and after exercise is key for your recovery. Here are some more ways to manage energy levels when exercising:

• Exercising right after fasting for six or more hours can be challenging.
• Light meals with carbohydrates and hydration are beneficial before exercising.
• Foods that are low in fats, protein, and fibre are easier to digest before a workout.
• Waiting at least 30 minutes after eating before starting exercise can help with digestion.
• Staying hydrated before, during, and after workouts is important for maintaining energy levels.
• Consuming protein and carbohydrates after exercising can help replenish energy stores.
• Reducing the intake of sugary and highly processed foods may help decrease inflammation.

Sleep is crucial for keeping your mitochondria healthy. While you sleep, your body grows and repairs itself, and this process needs a lot of energy or ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP helps a gland in your brain release growth hormones that help your body grow and repair itself. If you don't get enough sleep, this process can be interrupted.¹¹

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body and brain don't function at their best. This also affects your mitochondria's ability to handle cell stress. Cell stress, or oxidative stress, happens when too many free radicals (byproducts of ATP production) escape from your mitochondria and damage your cells. These free radicals and other waste products are mostly cleared out while you sleep. So, not getting enough quality sleep can hinder your body's ability to fight cell stress, impacting your overall wellbeing and energy levels.^11,12

Here are some suggestions to improve your sleep and wellbeing:

• Maintaining a regular daily routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time can be beneficial.
• Reducing caffeine intake and avoiding vigorous exercise 2 to 3 hours before bedtime may help.
• Slowing down and unwinding in the evening by reducing noise and light can create a more restful environment.
• Getting around 7 hours of sleep each night is often considered ideal.
• Emptying your bladder and limiting fluid intake just before going to bed might improve comfort during sleep.

Can mito affect your sleep?

Sleep disorders are known to cause fatigue, sleepiness and impairments of memory and quality of life, but does mito affect your sleep? Watch Dr Bhajan Singh discuss sleep and mito.

Watch now

Mito can impact your daily activities and social interactions. It can make work, chores, and maintaining friendships harder.

To stay connected, consider joining an adaptive sports group, engaging in aquatic therapy, or if possible, going for a walk with friends. Exercising socially can boost satisfaction, function, and mobility. It can also help you stick to your routine.¹⁵

Feeling satisfied with your social life is important for your overall happiness and quality of life. Social isolation and loneliness can worsen mitochondrial health. Which may lead to depression, cognitive decline, and reduced life expectancy.^13,14