Everyone knows that regular exercise has numerous advantages for your health, but one of the most indispensable aspects of any fitness routine is having rest days. Your body is made to move, but it’s also equipped with processes for healing and rebuilding itself. That’s why rest days help your body reap the greatest possible benefits of exercise. Here’s why you should integrate these periods into your fitness regimen.

4 Reasons Your Body Needs a Rest From Working Out

1. Allows the Body to Repair Itself

Torn muscle tissue needs time to rebuild itself. Resting will help your body become stronger, improving future performance. If you focus on training a certain muscle group one day, give it two days to recover before stressing it again.

2. Supports the Immune System

Your immune system is responsible for repairing muscles and joints after a workout. Repetitive exercise will overwork this system, and it won’t be able to fight off illnesses effectively. Take a rest day so that your immune system can focus on keeping you healthy, too.

3. Prevents Injury From Overuse

Without rest from the constant, difficult, and repetitive movements during exercise, you put yourself at risk of muscle fatigue or exhaustion. This can lead to injury if you’re too tired to maintain proper form the next time you exercise.

4. Helps You Sleep

A lack of sleep compromises your body’s ability to synthesize protein, which your muscles need to recover. Although a regular fitness routine tires your body for bedtime, too much exercise creates a surplus of cortisone and adrenaline, and these hormones can keep you awake at night. Rest days regulate these hormone spikes so you can sleep soundly.

For professional advice about how to incorporate rest days into your fitness routine, contact the knowledgeable team at IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health in Honolulu, HI. If you’re experiencing back and neck pain or muscle fatigue as a result of burnout, their team will help you recover so you can return to training comfortably. Learn more about their approach to sports medicine online, or call (808) 521-8170 to schedule an appointment.