In a healthy exercise routine, rest days are essential. When working on the same muscle groupings, your body requires about 48 hours to rest and recover. This does not necessarily mean that you can’t work out, but you need to focus on other body parts. This is very important, as the recovery period that your body requires between hitting the same type of muscle group twice is vital, and we will see why.
Here are some of the reasons why you should have a good rest after working out.
Helps You Sleep Better
Experts agree that getting adequate sleep is one of the best ways to improve and maintain our health. When you sleep well, hormones are released by the body, helping the muscles repair and grow. There are always three stages of sleep, REM sleep, non-REM sleep, and light sleep.
During the non-REM deep sleep, blood flow into your muscles is increased, thus repairing and growing the muscles faster. During REM sleep, your muscles reduce tension, thus relaxing them and helping in Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Training so hard can also distort your sleeping patterns.
This is mainly because exercising increases the production of stress hormones, thus making it harder to wind down. Some factors like the mattress you sleep on can also impact your sleep, yet many people overlook its importance and keep using a mattress that doesn’t provide enough comfort and support. To enjoy better sleep, opt for a memory foam mattress that will ensure you get the right comfort and support.
Allows Time For Recovery
Rest days are when the beneficial effects of the workout kick in, contrary to the belief that it’s the time to laze around on the couch. In fact, rest is essential for muscle growth. During this period, cells are known as fibroblasts repair the microscopic tears created during exercise. This helps the tissues to heal and to grow, resulting in stronger muscles.
Additionally, during the exercise, your body breaks down the glycogen in your body. When you rest, the body gets time to replenish the energy stores before setting into the next workout.
Helps You Build Long-term Habits
Up to 33 percent of the people who do not work out explain it’s because they have no time for that. However, it is relatively easy to fit a simple workout routine into your daily plans. The good news is, when you start exercising consistently, it becomes a habit, so does resting.
So, plan for rest days that ease up your routines and make your schedule more flexible. This will also make your workout routines and sessions more sustainable without having to compromise your training. Rest days help build good and healthy habits that you can maintain for life.
Helps You Avoid Injury
When your mind and body are tired, working out increases the chances of stumbling, tripping, or falling. One is also at high risk of overuse injuries since you are constantly straining and stressing the body.
A recent study observed that overuse injuries were the most profound injury types in elite athletics, which lead to at least three weeks out of training for such affected athletes. Therefore, you need to give yourself some rest time to avoid periods of being unable to train.
How Many Days a Week Should You Rest?
Everyone is different. Therefore, recovery time for everyone is at different rates. An average person can have five to six days of workout every week with one day or sometimes two for recovery. Athletes, on the other hand, can work out multiple times in a day.
You should listen to your body and know when to rest. You should never feel guilty about allowing your body to rest and recover. Rest days are crucial, just as the workout days are.
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