How Athletes Recover and How Regular Citizens Can Do the Same
Have you ever wondered how athletes recover? We’re all familiar with how hard they must work to achieve an almost superhuman level of athleticism. We see it all the time in sports highlights, equipment advertisements, and even a quick trip to their personal social media account. But when it comes to their recovery, we are generally left in the dark.
Many people often think that recovery is the most boring part of being fit- and it might be. Learning how Lebron James rests his muscles after a tough season might not be as interesting as finding out how he prepares for it, but it’s still relevant information.
And the thing is, these recovery methods aren’t just exclusive for professional athletes. We can also learn a thing or two from them. We might not be doing a hundred repetitions of athletic drills, nor are we lifting twice our body weight in barbells, but we do get tired. We do our work, spend the day expanding our energy, and by the end of it, we’re just as tired. Their recovery methods might help, so let’s take a look at those.
Stretching and Flexibility
Here’s something you might not know: regardless of athletic background, most professional athletes stretch and aim to become flexible. The science behind it is stretching helps build strength and prevent injuries- two things that all athletes need. Even for office workers, stretching can significantly help lessen fatigue. Because we sit for hours on end, we end up limiting the blood supply of our muscles, which then leads to pain and discomfort. This is why yoga is often suggested to those suffering from health issues since stretching can help the body heal itself faster.
Rest, Rest, Rest
When we’re busy and there’s too much work, we often feel like we should force ourselves to accomplish all of them and not give ourselves any time to rest. This is downright wrong, unhealthy even. The best athletes know how critical rest is, so should you! Make sure that you take periodic breaks throughout the day.
This is both for your physical and mental health, as both the body and mind shouldn’t be stressed for extended periods of time. After work, do something fun to increase your dopamine levels. Sleep is integral to rest too, so make sure you get an eight-hour-long, uninterrupted sleep so you wake up the next day feeling fresh and energized.
Get a Massage
The right message can do a lot in helping you relieve pain and stress. A quick visit to a trusted medical spa can immediately help you feel alleviated, so schedule one during seasons you think you’ll be racked with work. This is why most athletic promotions and teams often have dedicated massage therapy Singapore on board, or even have affiliations to medical facilities, as its benefits are simply far too effective to overlook.
Eat Right- and Eat Recuperative Food
Obviously, diet plays a large part in being healthy. While an athlete’s very strict diet might not be the best for simple office workers like us, it’s still to our advantage to eating right. For one, eating a well-balanced diet (indicated by quite literally eating different colors of natural or organic food) guarantees that we get our fill of different kinds of vitamins and nutrients.
Taking omega-3 fatty acids, the right amount of proteins, and the necessary portion of carbs is the safe way to go about maintaining or improving your diet- along with a healthy dose of micronutrients as well.
Stay Hydrated
Needless to say, athletes consume a lot of fluids- water, to be exact. Athletes drink plenty of water to replenish their liquid stores, especially since they sweat a lot and are prone to dehydration. Even if you don’t sweat a lot or live a highly active lifestyle, drinking more water can help you as it will “flush out the toxins” in your body. Essentially, what it does is keep your digestive system and excretory healthy, while providing your body with the hydration it sorely needs.
A good way to keep yourself hydrated is to always carry around a tumbler filled with water with you. Make it a point to finish that tumbler, and you would have consumed the recommended daily intake of water at the end of the day.
As we mentioned before, you don’t really have to train like an athlete to be healthy. You can mimic their recovery methods, however, as it’s proven to be highly effective. Much like athletes do, we have our own “daily grind” to accomplish, and treating our bodies with care is necessary to live healthily and enjoy life.
