Importance of resting during exercise
At Longevity Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Bella Vista, Randwick, Lindfield and Balmain we encourage being active every single day, however regular rest days should be included in your weekly exercise regime to promote a healthy mind and body.
Here are a few reasons as to why rest days are so important for all exercisers:
- Allows for muscle recovery and regeneration
Exercise can cause tiny harmless micro tears in the muscle fibres. When a person rests, these tears have time to repair and make the muscle stronger.
- Reduces risk of injury and overtraining
Resting reduces the risk of injury as fatigue and tiredness often leads to a loss of technique, which may be harmful to the body. Similarly, overtraining can lead to injury as the muscles are repetitively strained.
- Improves performance and function
Overtraining and minimal rest can have detrimental effects on performance and an individuals overall function. Some common negative effects of over training include a loss of coordination, a loss of endurance and slower reaction times. I’m sure everyone can agree that when their tired, little activities in their daily life can seem a lot harder than usual- effecting ones function.
Low impact exercise can be incorporated into your rest day as they are not as strenuous, but keep you active throughout the day. Examples of activities to include in your rest day:
- Walking- takes a walk outside in the fresh air. Often If you’re experiencing some muscle soreness from training, a walk can decrease stiffness and soreness.
- Yoga- low impact yoga gives an opportunity to stretch and keep mobile on your rest day. It has the ability to decrease stress and calm the body before your next day of exercise.
- Leisurely swimming- taking a swim in pool or the ocean. Swimming is non-loading bearing, causing no stress on the body but gets the whole body moving for an active recovery.
Written by Shannon Coolican
