Rest days are often overlooked as not being as important as active days, but they shouldn’t! Rest days are as equally as important as your active days, and I will tell you why.
We are often so busy and focused on a “go-go-go” mentality. We try to get many things done and workouts in that we forget that our bodies do need a mental and physical break. Our bodies need adequate rest for proper healing and recovery.
How can we tell if you need to take a rest day?
Being on the go all the time we may miss the signs that our bodies are crying for a rest. On the other hand, you may be well aware that your body is telling you that it is time to “tap out” and take that needed rest.
Some common signs that your body is exhausted and overtrained and in need of rest are:
- muscle weakness and twitching
- weak grips
- irritability
- mood swings
- insomnia
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, then it may be a great idea to take a rest day. Your body and the people around you will thank you for it!
Benefits of Taking Rest Days
1. Rest Days: Allows your Muscles to Rest and prevents Exhaustion and Burnout
When you workout, you continuously work and overuse your muscles. The overuse of your muscles may lead to injuries and burnout. With any exercise we do, we continually tear our tissues and fibers. Without proper rest, our body cannot repair, regenerate and heal damaged tissues. This may lead to injury, burnout and physical exhaustion, insomnia, and mood swings as well.
2. Rest Days: Helps to Prevent Injury
When we hit the gym, we tend to make the best of our workout while we are there. Sometimes overtraining may lead our muscles to get tired and cause injuries. If you are feeling the pain and soreness that is not desirable, then it is wise and in your best interest to take a day off. Training too hard without giving your muscles that well-needed break, will put you are at risk of injury. It is better to take rests to prevent injuries than it is to try to recover after being injured.
3. Rest Days: Helps the body to Restore Energy
With exercise, we do a lot of damage to our tissues in our bodies. To heal these tissues our body uses our energy stores. Rest days allow the body to replenish energy stores that are needed to repair these tissues. Energy restoration will also help with strength and endurance.
4. Rest Days: Helps to Reduce Insomnia and Restlessness
Exhaustion and overworking can cause insomnia and poor sleeping patterns. Not taking rest days affects your sleep and contributes to restlessness and high resting heartbeats. When you dedicate the time and allow your body to recover, your resting heartbeat and sleep patterns improve. Getting proper sleep is also important because your body heals during this time.
5. Rest Days: Helps to Improve your Immune System
Rest days help to improve your immune health. This is very important especially if you are doing high-intensity workouts. When you go hard all the time without proper rest or days off, your immune system is at risk. Your immune system needs to be at its best to help the body recover from the stress the body endures.
6. Rest Days: Helps with Mental Recovery
Mental health is as important as physical health. Rest days help you to regroup and focus. Too much exercise without enough rest can lead to burnout. When in this state you become mentally drained, irritable and experience mood swings. You may even find yourself dragging your self to the gym. If this is the case, you need to stop and take a rest. Take your break and restore your energy, so you are mentally focused and healthy before getting back into your workout again.
Having a rest day does not necessarily mean to do nothing all day, but if you think that’s what your body needs that is fine as well. When you plan your workout routines for the week, it is a great idea to add days of rest, stretch or anything that allows the muscles to recover.
I like to do my workouts form Monday to Friday. I alternate my muscles groups that I exercise during the week. Midweek I incorporate lighter floor routines that include stretching. I use the weekend to recover because by then I can fell my body begging for a rest,
Remeber that everyone is different. Whatever schedule you choose to follow needs to work best for you. Make sure that your rest days are incorporated into your weekly workout plans. We all need it, and your body will thank you for it!
Happy rest day!!!
