How Resting Can Improve Health, Fitness and Performance
Written by: Abhishek Behl (Accredited Exercise Scientist)
The importance of ‘rest days’ are often misunderstood when planning your exercise schedule. Many individuals see them as unnecessary or unimportant, especially when striving for improvements to their overall health and wellbeing. Rest days are a crucial element to exercise programs that include strength training, cardiovascular endurance and any other exercise stimulus that is designed to load and challenge your body.
The truth is that recovery is one of the most vital components of any exercise journey. However to be clear; a ‘rest day’ doesn’t mean doing nothing—it’s about giving the body time to repair, rejuvenate, and prepare for the next session of intense physical activity.
Active rest is essential for both physical progress and injury prevention.
What Happens During Exercise?
When you exercise, your muscles experience tiny tears in their fibres. This process is completely normal and forms part of muscle growth. These micro-tears are repaired during rest, leading to stronger, more resilient muscles.
This process, known as muscle protein synthesis, requires adequate recovery time to occur effectively. Without sufficient recovery, the body cannot complete this process properly, which can lead to inactivity, reduced performance, or even injury (Bouchard et al., 2014). Recovery allows the body to heal and adapt before engaging in intense activity again (Bouchard et al., 2014).
Key Components of Recovery Days
Recovery isn’t just about avoiding strenuous exercise; it’s about promoting healing and adaptation. Effective recovery includes several components that can help to optimise performance and ensure progress. The following are essential elements of a successful recovery day:
Light Physical Activity
Rest days should still involve light exercises, such as walking, swimming, or yoga. These activities help to improve circulation, reduce muscle stiffness, and assist in the removal of waste products like lactic acid (Kreher, 2016). Active recovery aids in maintaining flexibility and mobility during periods of rest, contributing to overall recovery (Halson, 2014).
Nutrition and Hydration
Proper nutrition is essential for muscle repair and replenishing energy stores. Ensuring that you are well-hydrated—aiming to consume 2-3 litres of water per day—is crucial for recovery (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2017). Dehydration can impair muscle function and delay recovery. Adequate protein intake is also essential for muscle repair (Jefferson et al., 2014). Recovery nutrition should focus on replenishing glycogen stores and promoting muscle regeneration.
Foam Rolling and Stretching
Incorporating activities like foam rolling and stretching during rest days can help alleviate muscle tightness, improve flexibility, and enhance joint mobility. These activities are not intended to train muscles to fatigue but instead serve to aid muscle recovery and flexibility (Bishop et al., 2008). Stretching and foam rolling also enhance tissue health by improving circulation to muscles and connective tissues.
Active Recovery
Low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or cycling are excellent ways to keep the body moving without putting it under significant strain. These types of exercises promote blood flow, which supports muscle recovery by delivering nutrients and removing metabolic waste products (Kreher, 2016). Active recovery also reduces the risk of soreness and stiffness that can occur after intense exercise.
The Mental and Emotional Benefits of Recovery
Rest days also offer significant psychological benefits. Constant training without proper recovery can lead to burnout, reduced motivation, and a lack of mental clarity. Scheduled rest days help maintain mental focus, enthusiasm for training, and overall well-being.
Taking planned breaks from training can also help to prevent feelings of overwhelm, which can lead to disengagement from your fitness routine.
The Crucial Role of Sleep
Sleep is one of the most valuable components of recovery. During sleep, the body releases growth hormones that assist in muscle repair and tissue regeneration. Adequate rest allows the body to restore energy levels, enhance mood, improve focus, and increase overall performance (Halson, 2014). Without sufficient sleep, performance declines, fatigue increases, and recovery slows, increasing the risk of injury. This is why prioritising good sleep during recovery days is essential to avoid overtraining and enhance performance.
Who Needs More Recovery?
Everyone benefits from recovery, but certain individuals may need more frequent rest days based on factors like training intensity, age, or health status. For example, individuals involved in high-intensity training, older adults, or those recovering from injury may require more frequent or longer recovery periods to optimise their body’s healing processes (Cadore et al., 2014). These individuals may be more susceptible to overtraining, and giving their bodies adequate time to rest and heal is crucial for long-term progress.
Incorporating regular recovery days into your fitness routine is essential for long-term success. Recovery helps to restore muscle function, reduce fatigue, promote muscle growth, and prevent overtraining and injuries. By taking the time to rest, engage in low-impact exercises, eat properly, hydrate, and get sufficient sleep, you set yourself up for more effective training and greater fitness progress.
There are plenty of research articles that support the advantages and effectiveness of rest and recovery days. Nakashima et al. (2018), Santos et al. (2017), Slade et al. (2014), Robson-Ansley et al. (2009), Zabala et al. (2009) have all demonstrated how recovery allows for the replenishment of energy stores, the repair of muscle tissue, and improved psychological well-being, thereby supporting the ongoing training process and reducing the risk of injury and fatigue – can have a read online down below in the reference list.
At Inspire Fitness and Exercise Physiology, we are committed to helping you optimise your recovery strategies and make the most of your rest days. If you’re unsure how to incorporate recovery into your routine or need advice on reaching your fitness goals, our team is here to guide you every step of the way. Please feel free to reach out to us at 9857 3007 or email us at practitioner@inspire-fitness.com.au.
Reference List:
Anderson, L. and Coad, S., 2011. The role of rest days in resistance training programs. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 33(5), pp. 56-61. DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3182249c8f.
Baechle, T.R. and Earle, R.W., 2008. Resistance training and recovery: An overview. In: Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (3rd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, pp. 439–458.
Bishop, D., Jones, E. and Woods, D., 2008. Recovery from training: A brief review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(3), pp. 1015–1024. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31816eb2d2.
Bouchard, C., Blair, S.N. and Haskell, W.L., 2014. Physical activity and health: A scientific approach to the health benefits of physical activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Cadore, E.L., Izquierdo, M. and de Lima, L.P., 2014. Physical exercise as a therapeutic intervention to improve muscle function and reduce frailty in the elderly: Implications for injury prevention. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(1), pp. 1-10.
Halson, S.L., 2014. Monitoring training load to understand fatigue in athletes. Sports Medicine, 44(2), pp. 139-147.
Jefferson, J.L., Sullivan, L.L. and McFadden, D., 2014. Hydration and its effects on athletic performance. Australian Journal of Sports Medicine, 46(1), pp. 33-40.
Kreher, J.M., 2016. Overtraining syndrome: A practical guide. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach, 8(4), pp. 284-290.
Maughan, R.J. and Shirreffs, S.M., 2012. Recovery from exercise: Practical applications. Journal of Sports Sciences, 30(13), pp. 1253-1262. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2012.718831.
Robson-Ansley, P., Jones, B. and Williams, S., 2009. The role of recovery in performance: A review of recovery strategies and their impact on performance during resistance training. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27(3), pp. 263-270. DOI: 10.1080/02640410802603874.
Santos, S., Mielcarz, G., Araújo, G., Fernandes, L. and Oliveira, J., 2017. The role of recovery strategies in the prevention of injuries during resistance training. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 16(3), pp. 435-444.
Slade, S.C., Dionne, C.E., Underwood, M., Buchbinder, R. and Rebbeck, T., 2014. The effectiveness of rest and recovery strategies in preventing injury and enhancing performance during physical training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(9), pp. 2511–2520. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182a1a52f.
Smith, J. and McFadden, S., 2008. The effects of rest intervals on muscle recovery and performance during resistance exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(1), pp. 93-99. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31815eaa7d.
Selsby, J.T. and Hurr, R., 2011. Effects of recovery on strength training adaptations in athletes. Sports Science Review, 20(1), pp. 7-15.
Vasilenko, M. and Zelentsov, D., 2014. Recovery strategies in strength training: the effects of rest and sleep on muscle repair and adaptation. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 54(4), pp. 482-489.
Zabala, M., Díaz, M., Fisi, J. and Mendiguchía, J., 2009. Recovery strategies in elite athletes: The role of rest and sleep in muscle repair and recovery during resistance training. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 8(2), pp. 278-284.
National Health and Medical Research Council, 2017. Australian dietary guidelines. Commonwealth of Australia.