Why You Need To Schedule A Rest Day
It may seem the opposite of what you’re trying to do, but every exercise routine needs a rest day. It’s all about balance. By scheduling rest days in between training session, you allow both your body and your mind to recover for the next session. Taking off days means you can train harder next time. Still don’t believe this caveman? Check below for more reasons to take a rest day!
1. It helps your body repair itself: The body needs time to adapt to the stresses of exercise. Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. Exercise can cause tiny tears in your muscles, and rest is what will help the muscles recover, rebuild, and become stronger. Without sufficient time to repair and replenish, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise.
2.You’ll help avoidinjury: You may not realise that you’ve overworked a muscle or joint until later. Without rest, it can become a full-blown chronic injury. Make sure you ice, foam-roll, and rest your body regularly, but especially when you feel a possible injury creeping on.
3. It helps you mentally: An fitness routine is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one. We all know how har it can be hard to stick with a routine, especially if you’re burnt out. And while exercise is one of the best ways to lift your mood, feeling guilty when you’ve missed a workout and stressing over whether or not you’ve worked out enough can be major demotivators. Make a standing date for a rest day during the week so you aren’t second-guessing your decision to sleep in instead of get up for a run. If you’re burnt out, you won’t be consistent; without consistency, you won’t see results!
Things To Do On A Rest Day
- Recovery exercises – stretching, walking, yoga
- Foam roll tight muscles
- Do activities with friends
- Get a massage
- Sleep!
Learn more below!