Are you feeling tired and unmotivated to get your workout in? Maybe you have a workout hangover. A workout hangover is due to overtraining, working out too many hours a day, and pushing way harder than you need to. A workout hangover is also called fitness burnout. As the name suggests, hangover isn’t exactly fun. It can leave you exhausted and your muscles aching for days. Are you wondering how to avoid the workout hangover? The answer is a rest day. A rest day is your day off from routine and vigorous training!

During training, you may feel compelled to go hard every day, especially if you have already established a schedule, but it is just as important to have rest days as it is to work out. A rest day doesn’t necessarily mean sitting on the couch all day and eating junk food, but it is a day to let your muscles heal. You can take a break on rest days or do some restorative activities like active recovery, yoga, form rolling, and massage.

A rest day allows your body to recover, adapt and become stronger and your nervous system has a chance to regenerate. It’s essential to use your rest days to relax and rejuvenate in the best form for you. The number of rest days depends on many factors.

• Intensity
• Workout structure
• Training age
• Training cycle
• Life stressors

Rest days come with many benefits.

Muscle Growth – Rest days are essential for muscle growth and glycogen replenishment.

Reduces Injury Risk – Rest days help reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

Performance Enhancement – Rest days help your body to restock energy stores and repair micro tears in muscles. This process helps your body to grow stronger and perform better.

Need some ideas on what to do on rest days? Then keep reading to find out what you might want to try out on your rest day!

Stretch – Stretching can significantly improve flexibility and help reduce muscle tightness. Stretching can improve performance. Foam rolling is also great on rest days to improve the range of motion.

Hit the Beach or Park – Depending on where you live, these two options are great for relaxing. Go to the beach for a swim or even walk along the beach. If you are going to the park, grab some headphones and a blanket. Plus, add a comfortable walk to your park visit.

Sleep – Maybe you have been having a long week and haven’t been getting enough sleep, which we all can be guilty of. Take the day to catch up on sleep and truly rest. Not getting enough sleep has been proven to cause mental health issues and physical healing issues as well, especially if it becomes a continuous pattern.

Eat – Rest days are an excellent opportunity to stay hydrated and consume a nutritious diet.

Everyone has a different workout schedule. Getting in at least one rest day a week can ensure a proper recovery. From doing some simple stretches to going to the beach, to simply catching up on sleep, rest days are just as important as working out if you want your muscles to grow and heal properly.