Rest is a crucial part of being a happier and healthier person. Our bodies and minds go through a lot on a day to day basis, and we need to give them some breaks every now and then. If not, we can become exhausted, irritated and overwhelmed.
While rest is always important, this is especially true after a workout. Whether you are playing a sport, doing cardio, or lifting weights, don’t skip out on the rest. But why? What are the reasons for getting a good rest after workouts?
Well, that is exactly what this blog post is going to take a look at. Keep reading to learn a couple of reasons why getting a good rest after a workout is so important.
It Gives Your Body a Chance to Recover
The first reason is that rest gives your body a chance to recover. Exercising and working out can be very difficult on both our body and mind. Working out leads to several micro-tears of the muscles of your body, and during rest, these are repaired.
If you do not give your body ample time to rest, these tears won’t be repaired and you will never recover. This can lead you to be in pain most of the day, and not being fully recovered can limit how successful a workout is.
One of the best times to recover is when you are sleeping, so make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time and get your 7 or 8 hours of sleep each and every night. Also, ensure the mattress you use is proper for your sleeping style, or you risk waking up more sore than you needed to be. For example, RealSimple includes a lot of helpful information in their post about some of the best mattresses for side sleepers.
Rest Actually Helps You Build Muscles
There are many reasons that people work out, but one of the most common is to build muscle. While you work on building your muscles in the gym, it is actually the time away from the gym that your muscles are built.
As mentioned earlier, when you work out, your muscles experience many small tears that are repaired and recovered during rest. It is this repairing and rebuilding of the muscles that allows them to grow stronger. So if you don’t give your body a chance to rest, it will never have time to rebuild your muscles to become bigger and stronger.
A rest day can often feel like a wasted day to some, but it is actually a crucial part of your routine, and should not be ignored.
Resting Reduces Your Chances of Injuries Occurring
While working out, there are several injuries you can experience. Some are quite minor, while others can be incredibly serious. These injuries can always happen, but are often more common in those who have been overworking themselves.
Those who don’t get ample rest are often sore, which can lead them to use improper form to get exercises done, as they are simply too sore or tired for good form. Bad and improper form is among the most common reasons for injuries to occur.
Also, a muscle that is already worn-out and torn and then exercised more without getting a chance to recover and repair can be more prone to injury, as well.
In conclusion, there are many different reasons why getting a good rest after working out is so important. If you don’t, you may not be getting the most of your workouts and could be putting your body at risk.
