Importance of Getting a Good Rest After a Workout

There’s a common misconception that the work you put in at the gym and the food you put on your plate are the most important aspects of training. While these factors make a significant impact on your progress, they’re supported by the more profound pillars of wellness— namely, sleep.

While you can make progress with inadequate sleep, you’re limiting yourself from accomplishing all your goals and seeing the best possible results. Here’s what you need to know about getting a good rest after a workout, and why it’s so important.

Necessary for Muscle Growth

One of the most important reasons you should improve your sleep hygiene to support your workouts is that muscle repair and growth happens while you rest. Sleep plays a pivotal role in hormonal regulation, including that of human growth hormone. If you want your muscles to recover and grow, you need sleep to release HGH to support the process.

Hormonal disruptions caused by sleep deprivation also impact your progress in other ways. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will struggle to regulate cortisol levels. This hormone is often associated with stress, and too much of it leads to challenges with muscle building and fat loss. A lack of sleep will also impact your body’s effectiveness at processing and using protein to support your training.

If you really want to see progress in the gym, start in the bedroom. Create an atmosphere that promotes sleep by finding a mattress for your body type and sleeping position. Then, use a white noise machine or fan to create ambient noise. Finally, use light-blocking curtains to keep the room dim and consistent.

Prevents Post-Workout Immunosuppression

While exercise is a healthy endeavor, too much of a good thing isn’t really a good thing at all. Insufficient rest doesn’t go well with intense, high-frequency training.

Consider the fact that working out is a stressor on the body. As a result, it’s common to experience a period of immunosuppression after working out. Some people rarely experience this issue, while some are far more susceptible to it. If you’re someone who gets sick after not sleeping, you likely fall in the latter category.

Proper sleep is a must for protecting your immune system and promoting a full-body recovery from your workout.

Improves Focus and Cognition

Getting through a tough workout is as much a mental game as it is a physical stressor; you need focus and determination to get through it. Getting enough sleep is essential for your cognitive function and focus, and you need both to get through a tough workout.

Failing to get enough sleep after a workout could leave you without the focus or motivation to get through your next session. Do yourself a favor and take a nap.

Ensures Adequate Energy for Next Workout

In addition to having the focus and determination to get through to your next workout, you need sleep to completely recover before your next workout. If you don’t give your body what it needs, you could lack the energy to give it your all next time.

Helps Prevent Burnout

Finally, getting enough rest after a workout helps prevent burnout, which could subsequently lead to an injury.

In summary, prioritizing a good rest after your workout aids your recovery, helps you progress toward your goal, and ensures you’re ready to kill it every time you step into the gym.