Take a Break!: The Power of Rest
To get the most out of our fitness routines, we need to rest regularly. Pretty basic, right? Still, some don’t heed the advice. No matter the reason why you think you don’t deserve a break, we’re here to tell you why you do.
During Your Workout: Take a Breather
While a great motivation technique is to tell ourselves to keep going even when it hurts, it is
important to allow our bodies multiple breaks during exercise. Not letting yourself stop and rest
for a few minutes during vigorous exercise can lead to overexertion and cause complications like:
- Light headedness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Fainting
Stop exercising immediately if you experience any of these symptoms while exercising. In order to avoid overexertion during a workout, be sure you know your own body’s limits. Pay attention to signs of exhaustion, and take frequent breaks during your workout.
At Night: Sleep Puts Your Body Back on Track
Making sure your body is getting the sleep it needs each night is essential for your overall health. Sleep deprivation can have severe consequences like decreased performance and a higher risk of injury. Not ideal if you want to work out safely.
To prevent sleep deprivation and get the most out of a night’s sleep, it’s recommended that adults get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Benefits of a good night’s sleep include:
- Improved memory
- Reduced inflammation,
- Greater attention span
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Reduced stress
- Improved mental health
Every Week: Take Regular Rest Days
It is important to incorporate regular rest days into your fitness routine. Rest days are extremely important so your body does not become over-worked and exhausted. Rest days allow your muscles to repair themselves, letting you come back stronger than you were before. To make sure you don’t forget your rest day, select a day or two of the week in which you do not exercise. Resting on the same day each week will make it your new healthy habit.