(BlackFitness101.com) Why is it that when most people think of fitness, they think they have to work out everyday, killing themselves to be fit and healthy? This isn’t the case at all; fitness and rest actually go hand in hand. Here are some pointers you should remember when you’re on your fitness journey:
You Should Have One Full Rest Day Per Week
Having one full rest day per week is recommended. Whether you’re new to working out or you would consider yourself a bit of a seasoned athlete, allowing yourself one full day to rest and recover during the week is super important. The body repairs itself in 
between your workouts. If you work out too much, your body will have a hard time healing, you’ll slow down your progress, and you could even suffer from things like herniated discs and overtraining syndrome. If you really want to be fit and healthy, you need to accept rest and relaxation as a part of it.
Active Rest Counts
If you absolutely have to move around on your rest day, other than what you usually do, you could try active rest. Active rest could involve a walk, some yoga, stretching, or a very light swim. You just don’t want to exert yourself too hard. You’ll be putting your body under far too much stress if you do a full workout. Walking is a great low impact exercise, and stretching is a great way to ensure your body is better able to recover if you’ve been using weights and other equipment to stay fit.
If you’ve worked particularly hard one week, do your best to have a full rest day. If you feel like you really want to, then do some gentle exercise.
Get A Full 8 Hours of Sleep Per Night
Rest means making sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep each night. It isn’t always about getting 8 hours, though. Sometimes it’s about getting the quality right, not just the quantity. Make sure you do everything you can to up your sleep quality, from removing technology from the bedroom to making sure you take the time to wind down before bed. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.
This will get your body into a consistent routine and you should feel much better – just make sure you try to stick to it all the time, even on weekends! Everybody is different, so you might be fine off 7 hours sleep. You might even need 9. Become more self aware of how you feel after each night’s sleep and try to get into a great routine that works for you. You could even invest in a sleep and fitness tracker to help you monitor it and make improvements.
Fitness and rest really do go hand in hand – if you’re serious about getting fit, make sure you take the time to rest up in between sessions. Thanks for reading and make sure you enjoy the process!
Staff Writer; George Parker