Rest and recovery aren’t just special rewards with which we spoil ourselves in exchange for our hard work, but essential components of living a healthy lifestyle, especially when it comes to metabolic health. Adequate rest helps our bodies manage stress, prevent injuries, and optimize energy levels. So, if you’re trying to level-up your wellbeing, it might be time to learn how to dial things down.

Active recovery involves low-intensity activities to help your body and brain return to baseline after working hard. Exercise stresses the body, and that stress—as long as you take adequate time for recovery—results in positive adaptations over time. Some stress helps the body adapt and improve, but chronic stress without time to rest and recover causes problems. Building restful activities into your routine helps strike this balance.

Stress is cumulative, whether it’s from exercise or the rest of your life. Managing both physiological and psychosocial stress is crucial for maintaining optimal metabolic health. If total stress remains high for a long time, it can disrupt your body's hormonal balance, leading to increased cortisol production and impaired glucose tolerance. By pairing stress management techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation with needed rest, you can better regulate your stress response and promote metabolic health.

It’s normal to experience days when you feel a bit off, and the hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause can definitely contribute. Taking some down time when you feel the need can provide an opportunity for your body to recover and rebuild. During these times, it's crucial to focus on self-care, listen to your body, and avoid pushing yourself too hard. By doing so, you'll be better equipped to maintain your long-term fitness goals and prevent injuries.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests that people who engage in high-intensity exercise should schedule a rest day every 7-10 days. You personally may need more rest than this, especially if you’re new to exercise. Listen to your body and rest and recover as it feels right to you. This might mean three days each week, or it might mean one day each week. Everyone is different.

True recovery is about more than just being sedentary. Movement practices, such as yoga, can aid in recovery and keep you in motion. These practices combine breath work, gentle movement, and meditation to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and improve overall wellbeing. Yoga has been shown to provide numerous benefits for both physical and mental health, including stress reduction.

Looking for another reason to treat yourself to a relaxing massage or satisfying stretch break? Massage, compression, and stretching can also reduce muscle soreness after exercise, while simultaneously lowering your risk of injury and ‘perceived’ fatigue.

Balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is essential for maintaining optimal metabolic health. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your body's 'fight or flight' response, which prepares it for immediate action in response to stress or perceived threats. The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, promotes your body's 'rest and digest' response, which supports digestion, repair, and relaxation. Both are crucial, and while intense exercise stimulates the sympathetic side, the parasympathetic side needs love too.

Practicing slow, deliberate breathing (like belly or diaphragmatic breathing) is one way to “massage” your parasympathetic nervous system. To bring more balance, strive to incorporate mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, into your daily routine.

Now that you have some of the basics, you can start getting serious about your rest and recovery. But no rush, take your sweet time.