Benefits of Rest Days

Rest days are an important part of any exercise routine. You should plan to take regular rest days and sometimes extra rest days are necessary. There are many health benefits to rest days including:

Alleviating muscle pain and soreness

During rest days, your body has a chance to remove excess lactate from the muscles, which helps alleviate pain and muscle soreness.

Repairing and building muscles

Exercise creates tiny tears in muscle tissue. During rest days, cells called fibroblasts repair and build up your muscle tissue.

Replenishing the body’s energy stores

Glycogen is a form of energy stored in your muscles. Exercise depletes glycogen levels, which leads to muscle fatigue. Rest days allow the muscles to replenish their glycogen stores, thereby reducing muscle fatigue and preparing the muscles for their next workout.

Preventing injury

Exercising too much puts repetitive stress and strain on your muscles, increasing the risk of injury.

Allowing the mind to rest

Over-exercising can tire the mind just as much as the body. Tiredness can lead to poor decision making during a workout routine, which also increases the risk of injury.

Are You Ready For A Rest Day?

Certain signs may indicate that you are ready for a rest day. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), some signs to watch out for include:

• persistent muscle pain or muscle soreness
• inability to complete a workout routine
• continued feelings of sluggishness following a workout
• binge eating
• increased incidence of injury or illness
• changes in mood or behavior
• reduced beneficial effects of the workout, such as a decreasing rate of fat loss or muscle gain.

What Can You Do To Rest?

Try out some of the following ideas to get your body rested. Keep in mind, you can do anything that makes you happy to help your body rest. 

• spending time on a hobby or other activity
• enjoying time with family or friends
• catching up with work
• volunteering
• reading a book or watching TV to relax