by Andrea the Yogi
Exercise of any type has many benefits, but taking a day off to rest is equally as important. We have learned through scientific research the many benefits of a rest day helping our bodies recover. Our muscles actually get stronger when we rest. Our muscles are actually injured or damaged during a workout. When we rest, our bodies are given time to repair damages, and our muscles get stronger. It’s wild to think about the fact that we get stronger when resting. Our bodies do some amazing things.
We need to rest on our rest days for the reason described above. This means not doing our yoga practice. Yes, yoga can be slow and relaxing, but it is still a form of exercise. We are still asking our bodies to move and stretch. Yoga can be added to our workout as a cool down but never replace a rest day with it.
If we do not take a rest day, our bodies do not have time to repair physical damage. Instead, we can become mentally exhausted, leading to poor mental health. Continually skipping rest days can lead to severe injuries. Take a break, take a rest; you deserve it.