By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

9two9.com

Aa
  • Lifestyle
    LifestyleShow More
    8 Moving Hacks That Make Packing Up So Much Easier
    8 Min Read
    Summer Dinner Recipes for When It’s Too Hot to Cook
    2 Min Read
    All the Frozen Pastas At Trader Joe’s, Ranked
    8 Min Read
    Easy Dinner Recipes For When You Don’t Want To Cook
    3 Min Read
    How to Decide on a Wedding Budget That Works for You
    8 Min Read
  • Finance
    FinanceShow More
    Productivity Tips for When Summer Is Calling Your Name
    9 Min Read
    How Mindfulness Can Help Level Up Your Finances
    9 Min Read
    Money Questions Newlyweds Should Ask Each Other
    8 Min Read
    Expert Financial Advice Everyone Should Follow
    11 Min Read
    Meet Evernote: Our Best Kept Secret for Staying Ahead of the Workplace
    8 Min Read
  • Sex
    SexShow More
    The Sex Position to Try Based on Your Enneagram
    9 Min Read
    5 Habits That Can Boost Your Sex Life
    9 Min Read
    Why Are Milenials Having Less Sex?
    8 Min Read
    Does Size Really Matter? We’re Breaking It Down
    7 Min Read
    10 Sex Positions To Try When It’s Too Hot To Function
    10 Min Read
  • Sport
    SportShow More
    Why 2022 Should Be the Year You Start Weight Lifting
    9 Min Read
    The Best Fitness Tips From Shay Mitchell’s Trainer
    14 Min Read
    The Workout Motivation Tips Our Editors Swear By
    8 Min Read
    Fitness Tips To Follow if You Hate Working Out
    7 Min Read
    6 Ways to Feel More Toned By Tomorrow
    7 Min Read
  • Tech
    TechShow More
    OnePlus Nord CE 2 review
    15 Min Read
    Nubia Red Magic 7 review
    19 Min Read
    Realme 9 review
    17 Min Read
    Breville Barista Max review
    12 Min Read
    Apple iPhone 13 Mini review
    17 Min Read
  • Contact
  • English
    • Русский
    • Українська
    • Polski
    • Deutsch
Reading: Why Rest Days Are Crucial For Your Workout Routine

9two9.com

Aa
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Sex
  • Sport
  • Tech
  • Contact
  • English
Search
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Sex
  • Sport
  • Tech
  • Contact
  • English
    • Русский
    • Українська
    • Polski
    • Deutsch
9two9.com > Sport > Why Rest Days Are Crucial For Your Workout Routine
Sport

Why Rest Days Are Crucial For Your Workout Routine

Jena Mcpherson
Last updated: 2022/09/19 at 12:51 PM
By Jena Mcpherson 6 Min Read
Share
SHARE

For many of us, rest days are like the forbidden fruit of fitness: something deviously tempting that we have been conditioned to avoid in order to protect our perfect routine, hit our goals, or stay on track. But just because “rest” is a four letter word doesn’t mean it’s something to be ashamed of.  In fact, as a fitness trainer and an athlete, I’ve found that weekly (or twice-weekly) rest days are one of the most effective ways that we improve our performance, fitness level, and relationship with exercise. So before you head out for that run, yoga class class, or gym session, check out why staying home today might be the better option.

Contents
1. Rest days improve your performance2. Rest days give you an opportunity to care for and nourish your body3. Rest days keep you excited about your workouts4. Rest days improve sleep quality5. Rest days give you time to be a well-rounded person

1. Rest days improve your performance

When you work out, you’re essentially putting your body through stress and creating tiny, microscopic tears in your muscles so that they can repair themselves and be more difficult to tear next time (also known as becoming stronger.) However, if you don’t give those muscles the time they need to repair, you’ll just be creating more and more tears, which can lead to injury and poor performance. While not everyone is trying to be a competitive athlete, if you’re experiencing poor performance, you’ll also be experiencing diminishing returns on your efforts, meaning you will be getting less and less out of each workout. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, take a rest day and make sure that your body is ready to work to its fullest potential when you get back to it. 

2. Rest days give you an opportunity to care for and nourish your body

Foam rolling, stretching, yoga, meditation, walking through nature, meal prepping–these are all things that contribute to your health and fitness that often fall by the wayside when you don’t have the time to prioritize them. By scheduling one or two rest days each week, you give yourself the time to soothe and stretch tired muscles, focus on your mental health, prepare healthy food, and work on all of the other components of health and fitness. Many other factors besides exercise play an important role in keeping you fit, so give them the time that they deserve.  

3. Rest days keep you excited about your workouts

When they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, I’m pretty sure they’re talking about absence from your favorite instructor. Fitness is a lifestyle component, which means that there’s no finish line or end point: it’s something to keep as part of your regular routine for your entire life. But just like any healthy relationship, space is good and very necessary. By taking a rest day, you’re allowing yourself a little time to appreciate that class, that trainer, or that part of your day. Taking a break every now and then will help you avoid burnout and pre-workout dread. 

4. Rest days improve sleep quality

Of all the things you need in your life–good friends, SPF moisturizer, how-to videos on TikTok–there’s simply nothing you need more than a good night’s sleep (especially when it comes to athletic performance, getting the most out of your workouts, and recovering well).  When you exercise, your body produces hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. In reasonable amounts, these hormones are great, but when you overdo it (AKA no rest days), your body overproduces them, and too much adrenaline and cortisol can lead to lack of (or poor) sleep. If you’ve been reaching for that 2 p.m. coffee or donut just to make it through the rest of the day, it might be time to give your adrenal glands a break and enjoy a rest day from your favorite workout. Try meditating, going for a walk, stretching, or spending the extra time pampering yourself.

More Read

Why 2022 Should Be the Year You Start Weight Lifting
The Best Fitness Tips From Shay Mitchell’s Trainer
The Workout Motivation Tips Our Editors Swear By

5. Rest days give you time to be a well-rounded person

Working out is an excellent hobby, stress-reliever, and lifestyle component, but if your routine has started to get in the way of other parts of your life, it might be time to take a well-planned rest day in order to catch up on what else life has to offer.  While your body and sore muscles might dictate when you take a day off, there are plenty of opportunities to schedule your rest days around vacations, parties, events, and other things you don’t want to miss as well. Taking a guilt-free rest day to explore hobbies, passions, and relationships is an important part of life, and it will only make you a happier, more multifaceted person.  

If you’re worried that stepping away from your workout routine is going to sabotage your efforts, fear not: rest days are an incredibly important part of your physical, mental and emotional health.  By taking at least one day off per week, you’ll allow your body time to reap the benefits of your workouts, avoid gym burnout, and improve other areas of your life.  Let’s normalize taking the day off when we’re tired, sore, or simply need a margarita:  it will only make us better in the long run.

Jena Mcpherson 25/11/2022
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print

Editor's Pick

8 Proven Benefits of Exercise (That Aren’t About Weight Loss)
Sony WH-1000XM5 review
Squirting and Other Sex Misconceptions, Debunked
How Can You Fix a ‘Bad Kisser’?
How To Slow Down Sex To Make It Just Like the Movies

More Popular

Tech

Ninebot KickScooter D38E review

By Jena Mcpherson 12 Min Read

Why Rest Days Are Crucial For Your Workout Routine

By Jena Mcpherson
Sex

What to Do If Your Partner Doesn’t Go Down On You

By Jena Mcpherson 9 Min Read
- Advertisement -
Ad image
Sex

I Got Ghosted After Sex—Does That Mean I’m Bad in Bed?

I mourn for the days when I had never felt the pang of disappointment of getting…

By Jena Mcpherson
Sex

How Can You Fix a ‘Bad Kisser’?

Remember when everyone said we’d remember our first kiss forever? Well, I wish I could forget…

By Jena Mcpherson
Sport

Why Cycle Syncing Workouts are the Way to Go

Do you crush intense HIIT sessions one week only to slog through burpees the next? If…

By Jena Mcpherson
Sport

10 Ways Yoga Drastically Changed My Life

Thanks to mainstream media, many of us know yoga as a workout that involves breathing, different…

By Jena Mcpherson
Sex

How to Make Your Sex Life Better in Your Relationship

Whether it’s the honeymoon phase or you’ve been together for five years, people expect us to…

By Jena Mcpherson

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?