For all the benefits that exercise can bring there will be times when all you feel like doing is collapsing on the sofa. Exercise – regardless of the type you do – can and does leave you a little worse for wear at times, thanks to the unseen work going on inside. Getting and staying fit and strong takes a lot of work and it is easy to overwork your muscles to a point where you physically have nothing left. But take heart – there are a number of things you can do to relieve the tiredness you experience from a few hard-core workout sessions.
Tip 1: Take a relaxing bath
Sometimes all you need to recover and relieve tired muscles is a good soak in the bath with some Radox. A warm bath (not too hot) will help to increase blood flow which in turn helps to repair any tissue damage that has occurred from exercise. Add some Radox or Epsom Salts to really give your muscles a good soak and you’ll soon notice the difference.
Tips 2: Get some sleep
Sadly in today’s hectic world, too many people suffer from sleep issues, be it a general lack of sleep to a debilitating bout of insomnia. Either way, a lack of quality sleep can and does affect your ability to function and your body’s ability to repair itself. Sleep gives your body a chance to repair, recover, and rejuvenate itself and too many nights of poor sleep leave you tired in more ways than one. Try some relaxation exercises before bed to help increase your chances of a good night’s sleep.
Tip 3: Get a massage
If it’s your legs that are feeling the most tired, booking in for a massage is a great idea. Just like a soak in a warm bath, a massage will help to increase blood flow, remove lactic acid build-up, and stimulate the body’s ability to repair itself. If you are not able to get a massage, try massaging your legs yourself or try some light stretching exercises for the same effect with the added bonus of a pick-me-up.
Tip 4: Look at your diet
If you have tried the above tips and they haven’t helped to relieve the tiredness you are experiencing because of exercise, it may be time to take a look at your diet. The two important areas to look at are calories and carbohydrates. First, work out what you would eat on a normal day then use a calorie counter to calculate the total calories you are eating. Next work out how many calories you should be eating each day (taking into account your exercise levels). One simple formula you can use is the Mifflin – St Jeor Formula. Now compare the two – are you eating as much as you should be? If not your tiredness could be down to a lack of energy. If this is the case, it’s time to up your food intake and make sure you are adding some more complex carbohydrates to your diet.
Tip 5: Review your workout plan
If all of the above have failed and you are eating the right amount it’s time to look at how much exercise you are doing and when. Are you having rest days? If using a split program, are you working for different muscle groups on different days? Have you increased your workouts recently? Are you doing more cardio than normal? If you have answered no to the first two or yes to the last two, it’s time to change how and when you workout.
The above tips are just five things you can do if you are feeling tired from exercise. There are more but this is certainly a good place to start if you want to feel like your old self again.
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