If fitness influencers have ever made you feel guilty about taking a rest day, take a deep breath because recovery is actually part of the plan. Health professionals agree: The results you’re chasing don’t just happen during exercise. Many of these strength gains, performance gains and muscle repairs take place while you are resting.
There’s no one-size-fits-all rule, but research suggests building in a full rest day about once every seven training days and avoiding back-to-back sessions within a six-hour window (1). And no, rest day doesn’t have to mean becoming one with your couch (unless that’s what you need). Gentle movements like stretching or a light walk can support recovery while still giving your body the reset it deserves.
Keep reading to learn 5 reasons why rest and recovery are essential to getting the most out of your exercise routine.
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1. Rest days allow muscles to repair and grow
Every time your foot hits the pavement or your bicep curls with that dumbbell, you’re stressing your muscles, allowing microtears to happen (2). That’s a good thing! This is the kind of inflammation we want that causes a temporary influx of inflammatory compounds to the region, signaling to your body that it is time to repair and rest the muscle (3). When this happens, you get stronger, build more lean muscle, and allow your body to adapt and reset to the stress of exercise-induced muscle damage.
But this does not happen without proper nutrition. Getting the right mix of protein and carbohydrates in your diet after you log a workout is also key to recovery and rest. While protein needs vary, a good rule of thumb for active people is to aim for 1.4 to 2.0 grams/kilogram of body weight (4). Logging your meals and snacks in MyFitnessPal is a great way to assess your current macronutrient intake and how they’re helping (or hindering) your recovery.
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2. Improves fitness performance
Another benefit of setting aside time to rest and recover? The improvements you will see in your performance. Rest days can help improve strength, endurance, and overall exercise performance over time (5). On the other hand, when you don’t allow the proper time to recover, that’s where overtraining and injuries can creep into the picture (1).
When this happens, you may notice your performance plateaus or even drift, and you’re not able to give it your all in the next session. Therefore, it is recommended to take a full rest day at least once a week and ensure that your training sessions have at least 6 hours of rest between them (1).
3. Supports faster recoveries
Do you know the delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS as it is often referred to (6)? It’s your body’s way of telling you that it needs its system tuned up before you put it through another workout. Two key players in this reboot: nutrition and sleep (7).
Nutrition comes into play through several nutrients that work together to help replenish glycogen stores (the energy that supports your muscles during movement) while lowering inflammation from impact (7,8). At the same time, making time for proper sleep is key to allowing your muscles and nutrients to work together to properly repair, restore, and recover (9).
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4. Recovery after exercise reduces the risk of injury
Overdoing it in the gym or on the trails can lead to injury, especially when your body is screaming for a break and you ignore it (1). Any signs that it’s time to hit pause? Feeling unusually tired, needing extra sleep, struggling to recover between sessions, getting overuse injuries, losing motivation, catching colds more often, or even feeling anxious or depressed (1).
To reduce the risk of injury, it is important to listen to your body when it tells you to stop and slow down. If you are an active person who has taken some time off, in some cases it may take a week or two for your body to completely rest and recover before you are ready to give it your all again (1).
5. Recharges mental focus and motivation
Burnout can affect even the most active individuals, which is why it’s important to take time to rest and recover; not only for your body, but also for your mind. And yes, exercise is great for mental health (10). But when it starts to feel compulsive, when nutrition is neglected, or when you notice anxiety or low mood around your workouts, it’s a clear signal that some time off is needed (1).
This is also a perfect chance to try active recovery, a gentler movement that keeps your body moving without the intensity of a full workout (11). Think walking, stretching or jogging, swimming, or even massage or water immersion therapy (11). Research is still exploring exactly when and for whom active recovery works best, so tuning in to your own body and needs is key to making the most effective recovery decisions (11).
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Other tips for making rest days count
Make the most of your rest and recovery days by prioritizing the most important ingredients that will make your muscles recover stronger, faster and improve your next session. Remember these tips:
- Prioritize protein.
Protein helps repair torn muscles, giving your body the amino acids it needs to improve muscle strength on those rest days (4). Use the MyFitnessPal Protein Calculator to help figure out your individual protein needs, then log your intake in the app to see how close you are to meeting them.
- Don’t skip omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids can help lower inflammation and keep your body running in tip-top shape (12). If you aren’t already, incorporate fatty fish, like salmon, into your weekly routine at least twice a week. Or take an omega-3 supplement with DHA and EPA (the two fatty acids our bodies can’t make enough of) to reap these anti-inflammatory benefits (12).
- Stay hydrated.
Top up your hydration, log your water intake in MyFitnessPal to see how close you are to meeting your needs.
- Log enough Zzz’s.
If you don’t prioritize sleep yet, here’s your invitation too. Sleep is crucial to recovery and can make or break the gains you hope to see (9).
- Take time to decompress.
If your workout is usually your therapy session, it’s time to find another hobby! Maybe it’s a walk in nature outside, reading a book or a meal that prepares something tasty for dinner. Find something outside of your regular movement that you enjoy and help take the edge off.
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Bottom line
Rest and recovery are not just “breaks” from your training, they are essential parts of the fitness journey. Giving your body and mind time to recharge helps muscles repair, improve performance, prevent injury and stay motivated. By tuning into your body, giving it proper nutrition and prioritizing recovery strategies, you set yourself up for stronger, smarter and more sustainable results.
MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian Joanna Gregg encourages users to let MyFitnessPal help them on their journey, prioritizing fueled rest days using the latest Meal Planner feature. She shares, “This tool has seen a relaunch to give users even more flexibility and choice in creating the meal plan that works for them, and is designed specifically to help fuel you to achieve your goals both in and out of the gym.”
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