YOU SHOULD REST!

YOU SHOULD REST!  How many times have you heard this, especially coming from your friends and family who do not have a regular exercise routine?  I admit.  I am guilty of saying that to my patients myself.  Having run marathons, I learned early on the importance of rest days and, during training, I welcomed them.  But many of us feel guilty about taking a day off from the gym.

Feeling guilty about rest days is merely a form of self-punishment and takes away from the relief that can be felt.  I believe there are five (5) main benefits of rest days.

1.        Aid in Tissue Repair

Exercise, especially vigorous or intense exercise puts significant stress on your body and actually damages muscle tissue.  By taking a rest day, the tissue will have time to repair itself and will be even stronger than it was.

If you feel you must do something, be gentle with yourself and do not work the same muscle groups.  Tackle a short yoga routine that helps stretch the muscles you normally use; e.g. yoga for runners, yoga for body builders, yoga for bicyclists, etc.…

2.      Helps Prevent Injuries

Pushing your body too hard for extended periods of time tends to lead to injury, primarily because you are not taking the time to listen to your body.  Not only does this lend itself to muscle strains and tears, overuse injuries and stress fractures, it also lends itself to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.

3.      Preserve Bone Mass

In a 2017 study,  intense training without proper recovery can adversely impact bone density. 

“Bone mineral density, an indicator of bone strength, typically increases with regular exercise, acting as a protective mechanism against bone fractures and osteoporosis.”  However, it has been shown that high intensity training sessions may reverse these positive effects.

4.       Muscle Gains

When muscle tissue has a chance to repair itself, you will come back stronger with more muscle mass and more excited to tackle that next workout rather than dreading it.  Improvements to your body occur after your workout not during it.

5.       Leads to a Healthier Attitude

Rest days help restore a positive outlook to exercise and can even make you feel eager to get back to it, rather than sitting with a feeling of dread.  In addition, rest days give you the space, time and distance away from your fitness routine which helps create healthy boundaries with exercise.

If you still feel anxious about taking a rest day, meditate on the fact that rest days help you reach your fitness goals.  They do not hinder them.  Try it!  You’ll like it!!