It's common to want to add a few extra miles to your routine and go longer distances. However, this can put more strain on your body and you can get injured. That changes if you get enough rest. But the question is, should you have rest days when you’re running more miles?
Well, we're happy to answer that. This article will discuss the benefits of rest days when you're running more miles and tips for proper rest.
Benefits of Taking Rest Days When Running More Miles
Taking breaks isn't bad if you add more distance to your running routine. Here are some rest day benefits you should know:
Gives you Ample Recovery Time
Just because it's called a "rest day" doesn't mean you're lazing around and losing your workout progress.
Exercise creates microscopic tears in your muscle tissue, which cells called fibroblasts repair while you rest. This period is essential for muscle growth, and it's when the beneficial effects of exercise take place. It also helps the tissue heal and grow, leading to stronger muscles.
Your muscles also store glycogen, which your body breaks down to fuel your runs. Rest days let your body replenish these energy reserves before your next workout.
Reduces Injury Risk
When your body is overworked from consistent running, you have a higher chance of taking a wrong step or losing your form. Taking regular rest days keeps you safe during exercise. Your muscles are also exposed to less stress and strain, which could keep you from running for a long time.
Improves Performance
Without rest days, it can be difficult to keep up with your regular routine. For instance, you might feel less motivated to run that extra mile or go a second lap. Even if you push yourself, overtraining could result in slow reaction times and poor agility.
Rest days are the perfect way to prevent this. They increase your energy levels and prevent fatigue, prepping your body for excellent running consistency.
Prevents Muscle Fatigue
As previously mentioned, exercise uses up the glycogen stored in your muscles. If these reserves aren't replaced, you'll be exposed to soreness and muscle fatigue. Proper rest can replenish your stores and still provide enough glycogen for regular activities.
Promotes Healthy Sleep
Physical activities like running boost your body's production of energy-boosting hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. However, constantly working out results in overproduction and makes sleeping difficult. This will only worsen your exhaustion and fatigue after each run. Having a rest day can help you avoid this, as it ensures you sleep better and lets your hormones return to a normal, balanced state.
Helps you Build Long-term Habits
While adding running to your daily routine is easy, it becomes more challenging if you do it daily throughout the week. According to a survey of over 2,000 people, 33 percent who don't exercise say it's due to lack of time.
Rest days are the perfect way to make your schedule more flexible. You get more room to build your workout routine around your life, not vice versa. That level of flexibility also makes your running more sustainable. If you can't work out on a particular day, have a rest day instead and work out during the rest of the week. This level of consistency builds a structure you can use for your exercises and in life generally.
Tips for Having an Effective Rest Day
No matter how much you miss the track, taking a rest day is in your best interest. Here are some tips for doing it just right:
Get Proper Sleep
The first step to utilizing your rest days is ensuring you sleep well the night before. This puts you in excellent shape, physically and mentally for any tasks you have planned out. According to the National Sleep Foundation, you should get seven to nine hours of sleep nightly. You should also aim for "unbroken sleep" so your body goes through all 4 sleep cycles and gets proper rest.
Schedule Massages
Getting a massage shouldn't be an activity that stays on your wishlist or when you're having a self-care day. Massages help relieve muscle pains while increasing blood flow to areas that require repair after running more miles. As a result, these areas get the recovery nutrients they need, and your soft tissues lose any knots.
Eat Nutrient-rich Meals
Proper nutrition is crucial for recovery. When you're having a rest day, it's best to stick to all-natural foods as much as possible to give your body more protein and healthy fats. You should drink enough water to prevent muscle cramps and promote recovery. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, this should be 15.5 cups daily and 11.5 cups daily for men and women, respectively.
Avoid Alcohol
It's a bad idea to drink during your rest day. Alcohol is bad for your recovery as it lowers your body's ability to replenish muscle glycogen stores. It also reduces muscle protein synthesis, making you less effective at repairing muscles after running.
Simple Exercises You Can Do During Your Rest Day
Taking a rest day doesn’t have to mean lazing around the house. Here are some simple exercises you can use to keep your body in shape:
Walking
Walking helps you maintain a healthy weight while improving your mood and immune system. It also doesn't put your body under too much stress, letting your body rebuild any damaged muscles from running.
Yoga
Yoga is an excellent way to increase flexibility and balance. It also helps you achieve better posture and reduce stress levels. Practicing yoga during your rest days can improve your range of motion and flexibility, which is perfect for smoother running.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art often called "meditation in motion." It involves slow and gentle exercise using a series of fluid movements. It's a simple exercise with many benefits for your joints and muscles during rest days. It also improves your overall balance and coordination.
Swimming
Swimming is an excellent form of cardio that's more gentle on your body than walking. It effectively raises your heart rate without putting your body under stress.
Swimming is an ideal rest day activity because it doesn't hinder muscle repair but speeds up the process. It also gives you a cardio workout without high-impact movements.
Cycling
Cycling is another form of cardio with a low impact on your body. It's perfect for rest days as it's easy on your frame and won't slow down muscle repair. However, you must keep the pace light to prevent overexertion and causing body damage.
Have an Effective Rest Day with Hywell Stores
Low-impact exercises on rest days can help you stay in shape and on track with your fitness goals. However, you'll still need the perfect footwear for your workout. Luckily, Hywell Stores has you covered for all your premium socks needs!
At Hywell Stores, we offer an excellent array of fitness socks that cushion your feet and provide heel support. You can also get compression socks that improve your blood circulation and support your rest days. Visit our store today, and you can also check out running socks to run all the miles you want.
Conclusion
Running more miles isn't just about lacing your shoes and hitting the road. You must add rest days to ensure your muscles can rest and heal from the strain. To have an effective rest day, you can practice low-income exercises like walking and cycling and eat nutrient-rich foods. You should also get proper sleep to keep you in the best physical and mental state possible.
FAQ
Do You Need Rest Days as a Runner?
Yes, you need rest as a runner. It’s the perfect way to help you recover and repair muscle microtears.
How Many Rest Days Should I Have Running?
As a consistent runner, it is best to run one or two days weekly. This helps you unlock the best performance and hit your goals in the best way possible.
How Many Miles Per Week Should I Run?
If you're a new runner, you can start by running 10 to 15 miles weekly. For general fitness, you should run 20 to 30 miles weekly.
