Cochrane, D. Does intermittent pneumatic leg compression enhance muscle recovery after strenuous eccentric exercise?

International Journal of Sports Medicine, 34 11 , — Halson, S. SSE Recovery Techniques for Athletes. Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

Accessed Oct 24, www. Hill, J. Compression garments and recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage: a meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48 18 , — Ingram, J.

Effect of water immersion methods on post-exercise recovery from simulated team sport exercise. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 12 3 , — Lane, K. Effect of selected recovery conditions on performance of repeated bouts of intermittent cycling separated by 24 hours.

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18 4 , — Menzies, P. Blood lactate clearance during active recovery after an intense running bout depends on the intensity of the active recovery. Journal of Sports Science, 28 9 , — Miyamoto, N.

Effect of pressure intensity of graduated elastic compression stocking on muscle fatigue following calf-raise exercise. Journal of Electromyographical Kinesiology, 21 2 , — NASM National Association of Sports Medicine.

McGill, E. NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training 5th ed. Burlington, MA: Jones and Barlett Learning. Effect of elastic compression on venous hemodynamics in postphlebitic limbs.

Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 , — Pocari, J. Exercise Physiology. Philadelphia: F. Schaser, K. Prolonged superficial local cryotherapy attenuates microcirculatory impairment, regional inflammation, and muscle necrosis after closed soft tissue injury in rats. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 35 1 , 93— Shin, M.

Effects of Massage on Muscular Strength and Proprioception After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29 8 , — Wiltshire, E. Fabio Comana, M. An international presenter at multiple health and fitness events, he is also a spokesperson featured in multiple media outlets and an accomplished chapter and book author.

org Fitness CPT Nutrition CES Sports Performance Workout Plans Wellness. American Fitness Magazine Recovery Exploring the Science of Recovery. Recovery is a huge part of the following NASM courses: NASM Health and Wellness Coach Certification CPT Personal Trainer Course Corrective Exercise Specialization Sports Nutrition Coach Stretching and Flexibility Coach Specialty.

Understanding Recovery We eat, sleep, train, repeat—constantly striving to get bigger, stronger, faster or slimmer—but is there a point where too much becomes harmful? Homeostasis is a state of balance within the body that occurs when the variables in a system e.

In this article, we will focus on stress related to exercise, which includes physiological e. Other common types of stress are environmental e. Types of Recovery Though recovery is a critical phase of the exercise-adaptation cycle, it is among the least understood and most under-researched components of training.

Monitoring Recovery Usually, an evening of restful sleep coupled with good nutrition and hydration will restore homeostasis and full recovery Pocari et al. Active Recovery Two studies highlight the value of active recovery, which typically uses movements ranging from spurts of anaerobic activity to very light-intensity activity e.

Read more: Active Recovery - Rest Days, Workouts, and Exercise Examples Massage Advocates of massage say it decreases muscle soreness, pain and stress, improves circulation and lymphatic flow, and creates an enhanced perception of recovery. Compression Delivered via clothing or through inflatable devices e.

Cryotherapy Cryotherapy temporarily reduces muscle temperature, stimulating vasoconstriction and reducing inflammation and pain. Hydrotherapy The cardiovascular system responds to hydrotherapy water immersion by changing heart rate, peripheral blood flow and resistance to flow.

Sleep The fields of health and medicine recognize the importance of sleep upon overall health and wellness. Sleep and recovery depend on two vital data points: Basal sleep, which is the amount the body needs every night to recover Sleep debt, which accumulates if we do not get our basal sleep every night If sleep debt piles up, rising stress and cortisol accumulation in the body will impair recovery and threaten our health.

From RICE to CAM It is interesting to note a small paradigm shift in the suggested protocols following injury and exercise, with some practitioners moving away from the traditional RICE practice rest, ice, compress, elevate and toward CAM compression, activity, massage.

At end of one normal breath exhalation , start a stopwatch. Sit quietly until the need to take another normal breath occurs. This cannot be a deeper breath or gasp.

Stop stopwatch. The point at which another normal breath is needed should occur at approximately 40 seconds, though many people tend to overbreathe, resulting in a score of only 15—25 seconds. Monitoring Heart Rate Monitoring Resting Heart Rate RHR can be done simply by having the client take his pulse manually or by using a wrist device or heart rate monitor.

The Future of Recovery Technology to measure and encourage recovery is under development. Sapolsky, R. New York: Holt Paperbacks. Seyle, H. The Stress of Life New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. The Author. Fabio Comana Fabio Comana, M. Related Posts. American Fitness Magazine Recovery Different Recovery Methods to Recharge.

American Fitness Magazine Recovery Does Compression Really Help with Performance and Recovery? American Fitness Magazine Recovery Recovery-Based Products for Injury Prevention. Sign up to receive content, exclusive offers, and much more from NASM!

Popular Recent. Protein and Weight Loss: How Much Protein Do You Need to Eat Per Day? By Brad Dieter. Resting Metabolic Rate: How to Calculate and Improve Yours By Fabio Comana.

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This will include an appropriate sleep environment dark and cool with little or no noise , avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime, putting away all electronics TVs, phones, and computers , and engaging in activities that help you wind down, such as taking a bath or reading.

Making sure to warm up and cool down when you are exercising is essential for injury prevention, minimizing soreness, and properly acclimating your heart rate. Two amazing ways to do this for yourself are foam rolling and stretching!

Muscle soreness is an indication that your muscles and fascia are becoming taut and knotted, and foam rolling massages those muscles, allowing the release of tension and tightness.

Try spending five to ten minutes using a foam roller on all the muscles you focused on during your workout. Also, foam rollers come in shapes and sizes, so there is bound to be one that is right for you!

Stretching also works to neutralize muscle tightness and tension. This is a way to pull the muscle back into its ideal relaxed state. It could be dynamic involving motion or static — both work to increase blood flow and the range of motion of the joints.

You can do stretching and foam rolling separately, or these can be combined and done either before or after a workout. Also, performing these before bedtime can help you get the most out of your sleep! Emotional health is an integral part of your overall well-being.

Meditation is a fantastic tool to wipe out emotional stress that comes in the form of anxiety, tension, and worry. Meditation is a type of mind-body interrelated medicine that helps with relaxation, provides tranquillity for the mind, and enhances emotional and physical wellness.

In order to get the most out of your meditation sessions, be sure that you do the following:. This is about making your recovery time active.

Active rest days involve low-intensity exercises that keep your blood flowing and help your muscles recover. The activities include low-impact exercises such as swimming, yoga, hiking, cycling, and myofascial release with a foam roller.

Of course, you could also partake in any low-intensity sport you enjoy playing! Active rest days are considered safe except in cases where you suspect you may have an injury, you are in pain, or you are physically or mentally fatigued.

It might be best for you to keep to passive rest activities in any of these cases. Carrying out activities of daily living comes with both physical and mental exertion that can cause you to feel stressed.

These conditions, in turn, can be associated with various psychological and physical health problems. Stress management techniques are, therefore, necessary adaptations to the efficient management of everyday stresses. Start by identifying your most present stressors, and then create boundaries by ensuring you dedicate space by establishing a balance.

Next, let your focus be on living a balanced life. This can happen by managing your time, taking time to socialize with friends, eating a balanced diet , and having some fun — do what relieves you of the stressors. This means your body has the right energy to get the job done, therefore ensuring you stay injury-free and healthy.

Your nutrition should be a balanced composition of macronutrients, namely carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Complex carbohydrates, a variety of lean proteins, and healthy fats will aid in reducing inflammation from training. Ensure your calories meet your total daily energy expenditure to keep you feeling energized and full.

While caloric deficits are necessary at some points in your life, too severe of a deficit can put the body under a lot of stress and prevent proper recovery.

Reach out to a nutritionist or dietician for guidance on what you should be eating. You may have thought that true dedication to your fitness goals means you never take a day off. We hope this article helped show you that this is a myth!

Medical, scientific, or research settings yield the most accurate measures of body fat. Understanding your body fat percentage can help you live a healthier life. Your sex, age, and body type are all critical factors contributing to your overall body fat and your diet and exercise regimen.

Nutrition is such a crucial factor in weight loss.

When we exercise our muscles are broken down and microtears occur, by a process labelled as catabolism. When exercise stops the recovery process begins, however, without a prioritised post work out recovery regime, recovery will not occur efficiently and "gains" will not be gained.

In order to understand how to recover properly, the definition must be recognized and the difference between rest and recovery established. Rest can be defined as a combination of sleep and time spent not training, whereas recovery can be defined as actions and techniques implemented to maximize your body's repair.

Below are the main components of rest and recovery which aim to enhance the process and improve performance. Getting enough quality sleep may be the most important aspect of recovery. Adequate sleep helps to provide hormonal balance and muscular recovery.

Aiming for 7 — 10 hours sleep per night is ideal. Some individuals may have to make sacrifices and changes in daily routines in order to achieve this, by perhaps cutting time watching TV for example. However, optimum sleep varies between individuals. If this target is not achieved recovery will be affected, mental strength may also be affected, thus having an impact on training.

Research has shown that;. Remaining hydrated is key to remain healthy, stay energised, enhance recovery and perform at an optimum level. Many athletes often pay close attention to hydration during competition, however, frequently fail to pay attention during training and recovery, which can sometimes have just as much of an impact.

Water has many functions within the body, from being part of muscle contraction process, to allowing the heart to pump blood more easily, whilst also flushing toxins created by exercise out of the body.

There are many ways to understand hydration levels such as studying osmolality measure of solutes of urine, or using dip sticks, however, the simplest way is to look at the colour of the urine. If it is a clear, yellowy colour you are hydrated, but if it becomes a darker yellow, brown, or black, dehydration has set in and water must be consumed.

Some tips;. In this day and age everyone knows that what you eat can affect your body, food has the ability to either help or hinder your body.

There is vast arrays of diets which have been suggested by various authors, and are able to be tailored to the specific exercise being completed, but the most important factor to be acknowledged is the consumption of a clean balanced diet is key.

Food is fuel, when we exercise we burn fuel, this therefore means that once we have finished exercising, re-fuelling must take place in order to allow muscles to recover. Research has shown that the correct fuelling both pre and post working can reap benefits.

Ensuring that energy levels are optimised and restored by consuming complex carbohydrates, such as oats, potatoes, and rice, whilst also ensuring that muscles have a adequate supply of protein for repair can make the difference between taking a week to recover or two days.

Recent academic literature suggests the use of various supplements to aid recovery alongside a balanced diet. Some examples include; Omega 3, found to reduce muscle soreness after exercise, green tea promotes weight loss, antioxidants, such as black currents, reduce inflammation and fatigue and whey protein shakes can help to ingest protein quantities rapidly after exercise.

It can be difficult to make the correct nutritional choices with a busy lifestyle, but what is key is that you are enjoying the food you are eating, it is important to not let nutrition over rule your life.

Here are some tips to help achieve a clean diet;. Stretching is important as it allows our muscles to remain flexible and helps to remove tightness. It is important to include stretching in workouts, with dynamic stretches before and static after.

Stretching helps to remove muscular tension and can therefore reduce muscle soreness after workouts. Instead, the aim to improve recovery , which could involve a passive or active activity. Passive recovery means you take the entire day off exercise, while active recovery will involve low-intensity activities, such as yoga or walking, that place minimal stress on the body.

The quality and quantity of sleep within the short-term recovery time are vital in maintaining overall health and well-being. A lot of people agree with this but fail to prioritize it. The truth is that sleep is quite important.

Studies suggest that while the awake cycle is designed for repetitive glycogen breakdown, sleep helps to replenish glucose stores in neurons. Since exercise utilizes adenosine triphosphate ATP in energy production for muscle contraction during a workout, it leaves the muscle fatigued, making recovery necessary.

Sleep is a great way to help replenish all the lost stores of energy that allow for further muscle growth, improved performance, and the ability to reap the full benefits of exercise. In addition, the body releases growth hormones during sleep, which aids in tissue repair and building.

The physical exertion which tasks the cells, tissues, and systems of the body can be taken care of by simply sleeping. However, good sleep hygiene is required to get the most out of your sleep.

This will include an appropriate sleep environment dark and cool with little or no noise , avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime, putting away all electronics TVs, phones, and computers , and engaging in activities that help you wind down, such as taking a bath or reading. Making sure to warm up and cool down when you are exercising is essential for injury prevention, minimizing soreness, and properly acclimating your heart rate.

Two amazing ways to do this for yourself are foam rolling and stretching! Muscle soreness is an indication that your muscles and fascia are becoming taut and knotted, and foam rolling massages those muscles, allowing the release of tension and tightness. Try spending five to ten minutes using a foam roller on all the muscles you focused on during your workout.

Also, foam rollers come in shapes and sizes, so there is bound to be one that is right for you! Stretching also works to neutralize muscle tightness and tension.

This is a way to pull the muscle back into its ideal relaxed state. It could be dynamic involving motion or static — both work to increase blood flow and the range of motion of the joints. You can do stretching and foam rolling separately, or these can be combined and done either before or after a workout.

Also, performing these before bedtime can help you get the most out of your sleep! Emotional health is an integral part of your overall well-being.

Meditation is a fantastic tool to wipe out emotional stress that comes in the form of anxiety, tension, and worry.

Meditation is a type of mind-body interrelated medicine that helps with relaxation, provides tranquillity for the mind, and enhances emotional and physical wellness.

In order to get the most out of your meditation sessions, be sure that you do the following:. This is about making your recovery time active.

Active rest days involve low-intensity exercises that keep your blood flowing and help your muscles recover. The activities include low-impact exercises such as swimming, yoga, hiking, cycling, and myofascial release with a foam roller. Of course, you could also partake in any low-intensity sport you enjoy playing!

Active rest days are considered safe except in cases where you suspect you may have an injury, you are in pain, or you are physically or mentally fatigued. It might be best for you to keep to passive rest activities in any of these cases.

Carrying out activities of daily living comes with both physical and mental exertion that can cause you to feel stressed. These conditions, in turn, can be associated with various psychological and physical health problems. Stress management techniques are, therefore, necessary adaptations to the efficient management of everyday stresses.

Start by identifying your most present stressors, and then create boundaries by ensuring you dedicate space by establishing a balance. Next, let your focus be on living a balanced life.

This can happen by managing your time, taking time to socialize with friends, eating a balanced diet , and having some fun — do what relieves you of the stressors. This means your body has the right energy to get the job done, therefore ensuring you stay injury-free and healthy.

The pressure and movement from a massage increase blood circulation, which can decrease muscle stiffness and inflammation. And, if you have back-to-back workouts, it helps your muscles recover faster so that you can be ready to go in no time.

A cheap and easy alternative to getting a massage is investing in a foam roller. Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release SMR ; a self-massaging technique that helps relieve muscle tightness and soreness. You can use a foam roller to target particularly tight and sore muscles to reduce muscle inflammation and increase blood circulation to ease pain and aid in muscle recovery.

While stretching may be one of the most well-known recovery methods, it is important to do it the right way and at the right times to see results. A common misconception about stretching is that it should be done before a workout, as part of the warm-up.

However, to see the best results, it is best to stretch after a workout when your muscles are already warm. Additionally, stretching cold muscles could actually lead to injuries and harm your performance by weakening muscles. The Mayo Clinic advises individuals to be careful when stretching injured muscles because strained muscles can be further harmed if stretched incorrectly.

When done correctly, stretching can help prevent injuries and improve future performance by increasing your mobility and flexibility. Personally, I have never been a fan of taking an ice bath, but the benefits of the freezing water after an intense exercise motivate me to take them multiple times a week during a hard training cycle.

Ice baths can help ease sore muscles and reduce inflammation by constricting your blood vessels and reduce your body temperature to help you cool down after a workout. If you want to take an ice bath, you can use a cold plunge tub or an ice barrel, or you can create your own ice bath at home with a bathtub and bag of ice.

Whichever way you decide to use cold water immersion therapy, the water should be no colder than 53 degrees Fahrenheit and you should stay immersed for five to 10 minutes for optimal results.

Although there is little evidence that ice baths increase muscle performance in subsequent workouts, the evidence of its effectiveness in decreasing muscle soreness makes it far worth it.

Plus, if you build your own ice bath at home, it is a cheap way to ease soreness. The other side of temperature therapy is heat therapy, and one of the easiest and most common ways is the sauna. Complete heat immersion is an effective way to expedite neuromuscular recovery, especially after endurance workouts.

Studies show that infrared saunas in particular can decrease muscle soreness because infrared heat can penetrate deeper into fat tissue and the neuromuscular system. By visiting a sauna for a few minutes prior to training, you can decrease exercise-induced muscle damage and delayed onset muscle soreness by effectively warming up the muscles before a strenuous exercise.

If you choose to use a sauna, experts recommend keeping heat therapy sessions under 30 minutes to avoid putting too much stress on your body. If you can't decide which temperature therapy to use, consider contrast therapy, which alternates between hot and cold baths to promote muscle recovery.

Contrast therapy has been shown to increase the blood flow to and oxygenation of muscle tissue. Compression garments can include anything from tights and compression socks to a compression wrap.

Compression increases blood flow, bringing more nutrients and oxygen to your muscles. This can help decrease muscle soreness, especially after endurance training. Leg compression machines are a popular method of compression therapy, and I regularly use Hyperice Normtec 3 Legs to recover from running workouts.

Compression garments can also help decrease muscle swelling that often occurs from long travel days or sitting at a desk all day. XWerks Grow is a whey protein isolate sourced from naturally raised and percent grass-fed cows so that there are no added hormones, antibiotics or pesticides passed on to the protein powder.

The brand boasts that Grow assists in muscle repair and muscle growth and strengthens your immune system. The formula is made using whey protein isolate, meaning it is a higher-quality whey and includes more protein.

Each serving includes 25 grams of protein—five grams over the recommended post-workout amount. XWerks Grow is available in four classic flavors: chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter and strawberry. Transparent Labs Whey Protein Isolate is a great protein powder option sourced from percent grass-fed cows.

Transparent Labs created this protein powder to support recovery and stimulate muscle growth, so you can see the best results out of every workout.

Each serving has 28 grams of protein and only one gram of carbohydrates. The powder is made from a mix of pea and rice protein and is vegan-friendly. It also contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners, food dyes or preservatives.

Legion Athletics tests its protein formula in a lab for purity to ensure the quality of every batch. Ritual offers clinical-backed multivitamins with unique formulas for both men and women.

Each vitamin contains nine traceable ingredients, including iron and magnesium and is encased in a delayed-release capsule for maximum absorption. The vitamins also feature a mint tab, so you can take your vitamins without a bad taste lingering in your mouth.

If you're interested in this brand, check out our Ritual review for more information. Like all Transparent Labs products, its multivitamin has no artificial sweeteners, colors or preservatives.

However, it excludes iron, which makes it easier on the stomach, but not ideal for individuals with an iron deficiency. Check out our in-depth Transparent Labs multivitamin review for more information. AG1 is not your typical multivitamin. It is a green powder filled with 75 key vitamins, minerals and whole-food sourced nutrients.

This comprehensive formula is designed to both fill dietary gaps and support overall health. It also includes prebiotics and probiotics to support gut health and enhance nutrient absorption.

Unlike many sports drinks, Transparent Labs Hydrate is not filled with artificial sweeteners, sugars or colors. Its formula has minerals that will replenish necessary electrolytes to keep you at peak performance levels.

Hydrate includes milligrams of sodium and 1, milligrams of taurine among other minerals that help balance bodily fluids and sustain muscle contractability. It is also sweetened with stevia for healthy and natural flavoring. Hydrate or Die is an electrolyte powder designed for quick recovery and hydration.

The formula is percent National Science Foundation for Sport Certified, so it is safe for collegiate and competitive athletes to use. Bubs Hydrate or Die is conveniently packaged in individual-serving packs, making it easy to get the right serving quickly and on the go.

Personalized Hydration by Gainful is made to accommodate your specific needs, depending on your workout frequency, intensity and sweat levels. Its electrolyte formula continues four types of electrolytes mixed with cane sugar for faster hydration with a great taste.

There is also a caffeinated option that contains milligrams of caffeine so you can rehydrate and reenergize all with one single-serving package. XWerks Ashwa gummies contain ashwagandha, which has been used as herbal medicine for over 5, years.

Studies show that ashwagandha root extract can improve sleep quality in adults and individuals with insomnia. It can also increase testosterone and decrease stress and cortisol levels.

XWerks Ashwa contains 1, milligrams of ashwagandha, six grams of sugar and five milligrams of sodium. Kaged boasts that its Sleep SR supplement will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It is also designed to promote calmness and reduce stress to help you easily fall asleep.

While melatonin is the most commonly used supplement for sleep, magnesium and zinc have also been shown to improve sleep quality. Transparent Labs ZMO sleep aid contains milligrams of magnesium and 10 milligrams of zinc with an oyster meat powder base.

Magnesium can also reduce the symptoms of restless leg syndrome , which often interferes with sleep quality. This cold plunge tub can cool water down to 39 degrees Fahrenheit and has circular filtration and Ozone sanitation for cleaner and better-quality water.

The micron filter picks up loose hair and other debris, so it will not continue to circulate in the water. The durable design is completely insulated for better temperature regulation and plugs into the wall with no plumbing required.

After a workout, eating a snack and drinking water is the best thing you can do. It refuels your body so that it can continue to perform necessary bodily functions and kickstart muscle recovery.

The other important practice is to get a good night of sleep so that your body can recover in a parasympathetic state and rest from a hard day.

Massages, compression garments and sitting in a sauna for a few minutes are all effective ways to help your muscles recover faster. Additionally, eating a balanced meal with healthy protein and carbohydrates helps stimulate muscle growth and repair the tears that occurred during challenging exercises.

I prefer heat before a workout to effectively warm up my muscles and ice after a workout to ease muscle soreness. However, both ice and heat are effective treatments for muscle soreness, so you can choose whichever one makes your muscles feel better.

Apart from simply washing away the sweat and dirt from a long workout, cold showers, like cold immersion therapy, can help muscle recovery by lowering your core body temperature and decreasing your heart rate.

The cooler temperature can also lower cardiac stress. No matter your fitness goals, post-workout recovery is essential to reaching them. Our bodies are not designed to continue to push the limits without rest days and proper recovery methods. When you finish a workout, remember to refuel, rehydrate and take extra steps like a massage, ice bath or compression garments to ease muscle soreness and help repair torn muscle tissue.

Trust me, your body will thank you and your performance will show the benefits. Sign In. SI Tickets. SI Shop. Deals Fitness Health Nutrition SI Tickets SI Shop Sleep Tech. By Gabrielle Hondorp Feb 14, By Matthew Dustin, fitness coach Feb 12, By Gabrielle Hondorp Feb 9, By Pete Nastasi, certified sports nutrition coach Feb 9, By Ashley Zlatopolsky Feb 8, By Sarah Falcone, BSN, RN Feb 8, Sleep is a great way to help replenish all the lost stores of energy that allow for further muscle growth, improved performance, and the ability to reap the full benefits of exercise.

In addition, the body releases growth hormones during sleep, which aids in tissue repair and building. The physical exertion which tasks the cells, tissues, and systems of the body can be taken care of by simply sleeping.

However, good sleep hygiene is required to get the most out of your sleep. This will include an appropriate sleep environment dark and cool with little or no noise , avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime, putting away all electronics TVs, phones, and computers , and engaging in activities that help you wind down, such as taking a bath or reading.

Making sure to warm up and cool down when you are exercising is essential for injury prevention, minimizing soreness, and properly acclimating your heart rate. Two amazing ways to do this for yourself are foam rolling and stretching!

Muscle soreness is an indication that your muscles and fascia are becoming taut and knotted, and foam rolling massages those muscles, allowing the release of tension and tightness.

Try spending five to ten minutes using a foam roller on all the muscles you focused on during your workout. Also, foam rollers come in shapes and sizes, so there is bound to be one that is right for you! Stretching also works to neutralize muscle tightness and tension.

This is a way to pull the muscle back into its ideal relaxed state. It could be dynamic involving motion or static — both work to increase blood flow and the range of motion of the joints. You can do stretching and foam rolling separately, or these can be combined and done either before or after a workout.

Also, performing these before bedtime can help you get the most out of your sleep! Emotional health is an integral part of your overall well-being. Meditation is a fantastic tool to wipe out emotional stress that comes in the form of anxiety, tension, and worry.

Meditation is a type of mind-body interrelated medicine that helps with relaxation, provides tranquillity for the mind, and enhances emotional and physical wellness.

In order to get the most out of your meditation sessions, be sure that you do the following:. This is about making your recovery time active. Active rest days involve low-intensity exercises that keep your blood flowing and help your muscles recover.

The activities include low-impact exercises such as swimming, yoga, hiking, cycling, and myofascial release with a foam roller. Of course, you could also partake in any low-intensity sport you enjoy playing!

Active rest days are considered safe except in cases where you suspect you may have an injury, you are in pain, or you are physically or mentally fatigued. It might be best for you to keep to passive rest activities in any of these cases. Carrying out activities of daily living comes with both physical and mental exertion that can cause you to feel stressed.

These conditions, in turn, can be associated with various psychological and physical health problems. Stress management techniques are, therefore, necessary adaptations to the efficient management of everyday stresses.

Start by identifying your most present stressors, and then create boundaries by ensuring you dedicate space by establishing a balance. Next, let your focus be on living a balanced life. This can happen by managing your time, taking time to socialize with friends, eating a balanced diet , and having some fun — do what relieves you of the stressors.

This means your body has the right energy to get the job done, therefore ensuring you stay injury-free and healthy. Your nutrition should be a balanced composition of macronutrients, namely carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Complex carbohydrates, a variety of lean proteins, and healthy fats will aid in reducing inflammation from training.

Ensure your calories meet your total daily energy expenditure to keep you feeling energized and full. While caloric deficits are necessary at some points in your life, too severe of a deficit can put the body under a lot of stress and prevent proper recovery.

Reach out to a nutritionist or dietician for guidance on what you should be eating. You may have thought that true dedication to your fitness goals means you never take a day off. We hope this article helped show you that this is a myth!