6 Proven Ways to Decrease Post-Workout Recovery Time

Did you know that when building muscle, less is often more? If you do not have time to heal, then your muscles will gradually get weaker. The solution is knowing how to speed up the time your body heals between workout sessions. 

There are numerous ways to do this and many of them are extremely simple. Read on for our must-know guide on how to speed up post-workout recovery. 

1. Sleep

While the benefits of sleep to our health are always stressed, many people still choose to ignore them. Sleep impacts the whole body. It is a time when it can rest, heal and repair. 

If you do not sleep, then your body does not have the time it needs to perform these functions. Make sure you get at least 8 hours a night of deep, unbroken sleep. 

2. Eat Protein Before Bed

When we sleep, the body also needs nutrients to repair. As we are not eating at that time, this needs to be done before bed. You need to give it the right things but don’t want foods that will transfer easily to body fat.

Protein-rich, low-fat snacks are the best to eat before bed. Cottage cheese is ideal, as it has casein which repairs the tears in muscles but also keeps the fat content to a minimum. 

3. Cherry Products for Post-Workout Recovery

Cherry contains anti-inflammatory properties and is known to aid recovery. In fact, sour cherry juice is great for aiding post-workout muscle pains. If you can not get it easily, then try these CBD cherry stress melts for the same effect. 

4. Drink Water

During your workout, the body quickly loses fluid through sweat. It is essential that this is kept topped up, both during and after the workout routine. Without it, your body can not perform its many primary functions, which puts repair and recovery at the back of the line. 

Firstly, water regulates your body temperature during the workout itself. It also helps protect the organs and tissue. Crucially, it carries oxygen and nutrients to cells, which is a vital process in your exercise recovery. 

5. Go Alcohol-Free

Alcohol interferes with a number of repair processes in the body. Firstly, it dehydrates the body. With a lack of water, you do not carry the nutrients and oxygen around the body, as mentioned above. 

Secondly, alcohol interferes with the body’s synthesis of protein. This means the small tears in muscle have nothing to repair them, slowing down the recovery. 

6. Rest Your Muscles

To stimulate exercise recovery and to allow time for muscles to repair, many people advocate a two-day rest between a workout routine. However, this can differ for each individual. Some people may need three or more days to fully recover.

Muscle pain will tell you how long you need. If you seem to be doing less at the gym than before, you definitely need to increase your rest periods. 

Take Care of Yourself

Essentially, you need to take care of yourself. Post-workout recovery can only really be sped up if you take the time to rest, sleep and provide your body with the nutrients and water it needs. 

If you enjoyed this handy article, then we have lots more to help you achieve your fitness goals. With everything from exercise to nutrition, we can help you build a better body starting today!