Healthy habits such as clean eating and exercise are important in reaching your health goals. Many people tend to overdo exercising in the quest to reach their goals faster. Taking rest and having a rest day is part of working out. Getting used to the endorphins that come from a great workout may make you feel guilty for resting. However, resting is important. When your fitness levels increase you may take fewer rest days. However, in the beginning, you may need more rest days.
Rest days.
Rest day is a day or time that is dedicated to resting from active training. It is all about giving your body and mind a break so that you can recover. Rest day means rest! You may do lighter activities that are different from your strenuous workouts. Resting is just as important as training. A successful fitness program is not complete without rest. Resting is a critical part of getting fit and staying healthy. Regular skipping of rest days may lead to overtraining or burnout and fatigue.
Why Are Rest Days Good For You?
Recovery Time.
When we are working out our muscle tissues experience microscopic tears. Resting and recovering allow your muscles to repair these tears. Resting helps the tissue heal and grow. This leads to stronger muscles and better fitness levels.
Avoid Muscle Fatigue.
Training without resting may lead to exercise-induced fatigue. Resting gives time for your glycogen stores to be replenished. If the glycogen stores are not replaced people may experience muscle fatigue and soreness. Take more rest days to avoid muscle fatigue.
Reduced Injuries Risks.
It is very easy to get injured when your body is overworked. Dropping a weight, working out with a poor form, and taking the wrong step are all increased by the lack of rest. Training stresses the muscles. Resting and rest days will help you overcome injuries caused by fatigue. Using the same muscle group repeatedly without rest will cause injuries.
Enhances Performance.
When your body is over-trained it will be hard to do your normal workout routine. Challenging yourself and pushing boundaries will be harder when your body is under strain. When your body is well-rested, doing an extra rep or kilometer may be easier.
Helps With Sleeping Better.
Physical activity will help you sleep better. Taking rest days will also help you with your sleeping. Exercise increases energy-boosting hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Working out without resting overproduces these hormones. Getting proper sleep may be a challenge. Fatigue and exhaustion will be the order of the day. Rest days will help you balance these hormones. Physical activity needs to balanced with rest and recovery.
What To Do On Your Rest Days?
A rest day does not mean chilling on the couch for the whole day and doing nothing. On your rest day, you can do some light cardio or an active recovery workout. Our bodies will be using fewer calories on rest days. Make sure you still eat your healthy macros, especially protein. Protein is important for muscle repair that will be taking place during a rest day.
Fitness people do not like to stretch. You can dedicate your rest day to stretching and form rolling. 15 to 20 minutes of yoga or Pilates will go a long way. Stretching will improve your flexibility and alleviate tight or stiff muscles.
Do low impact exercises such as walking, casual swimming, or dancing. These exercises will help you active without overstressing your body. You can also exercise in a more relaxed way. Try to move your body on your rest days.
Training at peak every single day may be the best way to reach your fitness goals. Mental and physical rest days are important to reach your health goals. Some of the signs that you may be overtraining and need a rest day are sore muscles, fatigue, pain, or emotional changes. It is important to listen to your body and take as many rest days as you can on the journey.