Six Reason why rest days are critical for injury prevention and recovery...

Do you feel guilty when you take a day off exercise?  Do you feel you are being lazy and should get out there and do a workout?  I am here to tell you that if you exercise consistently your rest days are just as important as your workout days.  In fact, if you do not take enough time off from exercise you will actually reap less benefit from your workouts.  

1..  Rest Prevents Injury – It’s common sense that resting is beneficial for injury reduction, but why? Well for starters, rest days prevent overuse. That extends from running to lifting weights, yoga and even walking. If you’re a regular runner, you know how much your legs and feet can take until you just need a day off. If you push it too hard without a break, your muscles and joints suffer from overuse and that’s where injuries can happen.

2. Your Muscles Need Rest – Hot Power Yoga is strength training for your entire body. When you train with body weight you are tearing muscle fibers. But without a proper period of rest for your immune system to repair and grow the muscle, you’re not going to get the benefit of your training.

3. Your Performance Won’t Suffer – In general, it takes your body almost two weeks of non-activity before you start losing a noticeable amount of your progress or performance level. So don’t think that taking a day or two off from exercise will be detrimental.

4. Over-training Affects Sleep – Is your sleep pattern erratic? Over-training could be the culprit. Too much exercise can put your body in a constant state of restlessness or on high alert making a good night’s sleep difficult to achieve. A telltale sign is an increase in your resting heart rate. Taking those rest day can help bring down your alertness and heart rate, which can help get you a night of sound sleep.  Sleep is essential for muscle repair and growth.  

5. Your Immune System Can Overheat – During periods of heavy activity, our immune systems are constantly activating to repair muscles and joints. Without proper rest, your immune system can’t make all the repairs your body needs. The end result is injury or illness.

6. Mental Edge – From a psychological standpoint, taking a rest period can rekindle your hunger for exercise and help prevent burnout. Mental fatigue can be every bit as detrimental as physical fatigue and taking a rest day helps to recharge the psyche.