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Rest and Recovery

Balanced • September 5, 2016

The word is pretty much out on the benefits of working hard – at work to earn more money; at eating right and exercising to stay healthy; studying to get top grades. You get the picture. We live in the land of opportunity, and have always heard that you need to work hard to get ahead and achieve your goals. While that’s true, sometimes less is more – especially when it comes to impact on our bodies. The value of rest and recovery is severely underrated, and the health benefits are a lesser known cousin of the ‘work harder’ family.

Rest Most of us workout to be healthier and happier, right? But, if we overdo it, injuries can rob us of our glory and set us back from our goals even further. The human body is a miraculous thing. It responds to hard work and exercise, but it also needs time to recover. Think of your body like an orchestra with all of the instruments working in concert together. You want to keep your muscles, ligaments, and bones all fine-tuned so they can perform at optimal levels. Part of that tuning is allowing your body to rest and recover from exercise – even when you don’t have an injury. Allowing your body to rest – and incorporating rest and recovery into your regular routine – will help prevent injuries , and injury prevention is key. But your body is just one part of the orchestra. Your brain needs downtime to convert short-term memory into long-term memory. Your soul needs downtime to recover from demands that can come from fast-paced schedules, jobs, friends, and even family.

Sleep is like a magic elixir. If you’re not getting a full eight hours every night, you might be struggling with increased levels of fatigue; memory challenges; poor moods; weight gain; strains and stress fractures. Sleep gives your mind, body and soul the fuel needed for a happier and healthier life.

So take time to rest and let yourself recover from strenuous work and exercise.

Rest. Sleep. Recover. Take a break from the screens and spend time with those who matter most to you. Skip a workout and sleep-in when you need to. Listen to your body. If you feel stressed out, your body probably feels it too – and that little voice that says: “just one more…” could be what sets you back.

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