You've had a tough workout, and you feel exhausted. You're in bed, and you want to do nothing but sleep. But wait! Your muscles need some recovery time so they don't get sore. This post will give you tips on how to recover after exercise so that your body stays healthy and strong!
Cool Down. Cooling down after exercise is one of the most important things you can do to prevent muscle soreness. When you’re done with a workout, try to slowly reduce your heart rate by walking or cycling for about 10 minutes. You can also just sit down and stretch out your muscles for a few minutes before getting up again. Drink plenty of water Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of water to help flush out waste products. It also helps prevent dehydration, which is important because exercise depletes your body of fluid and electrolytes (sodium). Water helps with muscle repair and mental clarity as well. Massage Your Muscles. If you’re feeling sore the day after a workout, consider giving your muscles a massage. Massage is a great way to release lactic acid and other toxins that accumulate in your muscles during exercise. It can also help prevent soreness, cramping and muscle spasms in your body by increasing circulation. For best results, use a percussion massager (a tool with rollers on it) instead of manual massage techniques for quick relief from tightness and soreness after exercising! Get a good night's sleep. It's no secret that sleep is important for recovery. The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get around 7–9 hours of sleep a night, but it can be difficult to get enough sleep when you're busy with work and other responsibilities. If you find yourself having trouble sleeping after working out, try these tips:
Go to bed at the same time every night. Your body will naturally fall into a pattern if you stay consistent in your bedtime routine.
Avoid using your phone or computer before going to bed because the light emitted from them can disrupt your circadian rhythm and interfere with getting to sleep. If possible, don't use anything with a screen for an hour before going to bed (or at least dim it). It's also helpful not looking at screens after sunset as well! Don't forget about apps like Flux too which will automatically adjust brightness based on time of day - perfect for phones/tablets instead of laptops :)
Once you've gotten into the habit of going to bed earlier than usual each night then it'll become easier over time since there's no more pressure on weekends since mornings won't matter anymore (which I know sounds crazy but think about how much we stress over work during weekdays vs weekends)! So if you haven't tried this yet then give it a shot tonight!
These tips can help you recover after exercise and feel better. If you're not sure what to do, just try them out!