It is not lost on me that rest days are a topic most dancers casually scroll past. However, as dancers, we must practice listening to our bodies to enjoy a long dance life. That’s why we are discussing five signs you need a rest day today – so you can learn to listen when your body is saying “Help! I’m tired!”
But Why?
If you’re looking for an in-depth explanation of why our bodies need rest, take a moment and read, What is a Rest Day? The Key To Unlocking Your Progress, then come on back.
But the long and the short of it is, that taking rest days can increase your progress and prevent injury.
You see, exercise puts two types of stress on the body, metabolic stress which happens from depleting the energy stored in individual muscle cells, and mechanical stress created by physical damage to the structures of muscle proteins. Rest days give your body time to repair the muscle proteins and replace the glycogen lost during workouts.
And before you roll your eyes and say “Sure, sure sure.” Don’t you think it’s time dancers work smarter, not harder? And in an industry where the word injury is taboo, shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to support our bodies and prevent injury?
So, without further ado…
4 Signs You Need A Rest Day
1) You’re Painfully Sore All the Time
Sure D.O.M.S. can peak up to 48 hours after a workout, but you shouldn’t be so sore that you’re constantly in pain. And you certainly shouldn’t be sore all the time. This is one of the clearest signs you need a rest day.
2) You’re Regular Training Is Starting to Drag
Have you ever had those workouts where, despite lifting your normal weight, you seem to fizzle out a little before you usually do? Maybe you start the set strong but just can’t power to the end.
Or maybe you’re clock-watching the whole time and going through the motions instead of pushing yourself. While workouts like this happen from time to time, if you’re noticing it happening more often, it might be time to take a look at your recovery practices.
3) You’re Plateauing
As for signs you need a rest day, seeing a plateau in your progress is a fairly strong indicator. If your body doesn’t have time to rebuild between workouts, you’ll likely hold on to a bit more inflammation as your muscles won’t have time to repair.
If you’re plateauing, consider taking a rest day that restores your body. Take a bath, go for a gentle walk, foam roll; anything that supports your body’s efforts to rebuild.
4) ) You’re Noticing Behavioral Changes
When athletes over-train stress hormones like cortisol and serotonin can get disregulated. This can cause changes in sleep patterns, mood swings, and more behavioral shifts. If you’re experiencing these emotional shifts as well as the physical, you can bet these are signs you need a rest day.
“But Resting is BORING”
Don’t fret. Just because you need a rest day doesn’t mean you necessarily have to do nothing.
There are 7 essential types of rest that our bodies need to function optimally. Physical rest is only the tip of the iceberg!
There is also mental rest, sensory rest, emotional rest, social rest, creative rest, and spiritual rest.
Yes, some of these require a bit more stillness than we are probably used to. But even physical rest can involve a great deal of “doing.”
Some examples of restful activities include:
A gentle walk
Foam-rolling
Mobility flow
Meditation
Journaling
Coloring or painting
Calling a friend or family member
Reading
Taking a bath
A Break from Social Media
See? There is plenty to be done when resting. But, if seeing that list of “things to do” brought you relief during a conversation about rest, it might be time to examine why.
What about rest makes you feel so….restless? Anxious? Take some time and consider that. You may be surprised by what you learn about yourself.
Want more information about rest and recovery? Read: What Is Rest, Really? 7 Types of Rest You Need to Understand, Eight Ways to Promote Faster Recovery, What is a Rest Day? The Key To Unlocking Your Progress
