Whether your weekly routine consists of yoga poses, high-intensity cardio, or nonstop core work, everyone needs (and deserves!) a rest day. These recovery days are important to ensure your body is always working to the best of its abilities. So how do you give your body what it needs on your rest day? Here are a few helpful tips!
Take the Time to Stretch
Using your rest day to spend some time stretching is beneficial for many reasons: It improves your flexibility, which will, in turn, help you improve your technique. It stretches out tight or overworked muscles, giving them the opportunity to really relax. And, it keeps you active on your rest day, helping you stay on schedule without tiring out your body.
Maintain Your Healthy Eating Habits
Rest days can easily turn into massive cheat days where you completely stray from your dietary habits. If you do this every week, your hard work can be compromised. Of course, it’s okay to treat yourself to a bag of Cheetos or an extra cookie. But it’s also important that you maintain overall healthy eating habits by having a balanced breakfast, lunch, and dinner, even on your rest day.
Stay Hydrated
When you work out, you likely drink a lot of water. That said, on a rest day, it’s easy to let your hydration practices slip. But just because you’re not working out to your fullest isn’t to say your body doesn’t need water. In fact, you need the same amount of water every day as a baseline, so make sure you’re still reaching that level.
Get the Sleep You Need
Rest days mean you need plenty of rest – and that’s not exclusive to your activity. You also need to ensure you’re getting your full amount of sleep. If you usually wake up early to hit the gym, try to sleep in on your recovery day and take advantage of that extra time in bed.
Take Things Easy
Lastly, but most importantly, be sure to take it easy on your rest days! Not everyone enjoys taking it easy, but rest days are essential to your body’s recovery. Moreover, working out every single day is not always healthy, as it can increase your risk of injury. So, when it’s time for your rest day, know that your body needs it, and enjoy it to its fullest. You’ll be refreshed and ready to hit the gym anew tomorrow.