How Rest Helps Increase Muscle Mass
Often, when we see muscular people, we think that they must lift a lot of weight. Indeed, people with more muscle mass do work for it but they also make sure to rest. There are different factors that help you increase your muscle mass. Weight training and good nutrition are important, but do you know how rest also helps to increase muscle mass?
Listen to your body
To increase muscle, you can perform different workouts that are usually high-intensity ones. Also, the exercises’ difficulty is usually increased for better results. As such, your body has to handle everything you put it through. And that’s where rest comes in.
Imagine leaving your computer switched on, with programs running and without ever turning it off? The most likely outcome is that your computer overheats and becomes damaged at some point. The same applies to your body. If you put it through grueling workouts without letting it rest, your muscles will probably atrophy.
Therefore, it’s important that you listen to your body. Some bodies become used to training faster while others might need more stimulation. Indeed, rest helps increase muscle mass and that goes for any type of body. In addition, the body needs to recharge its batteries so that it can function well.
How rest helps increase muscle mass: rest vs. sedentary lifestyle
During sleeping, your brain activates a cycle where your brain can rest. The same happens with your muscles; a resting process starts and your body begins repairing its muscular tissues. This occurs because, during exercise, your muscles experience micro-fissures and resting repairs them.
Also, if the fissures aren’t fully repaired, then it won’t be possible for your muscle mass to increase. Many think that skipping on rest during the week is harmless and that they can catch up on sleep over the weekend. However, that’s not how your body works. You have to give your body the rest it asks for when it needs it, not after. If needed, remind yourself that rest helps increase muscle mass.
Sometimes it’s more comfortable to stay at home. But you should motivate yourself with the results you’ll get if you keep at it.
Also, keep in mind that resting and living a sedentary lifestyle are two different things. Working out a little and resting a lot isn’t good for you. That’s because your body won’t progress and it won’t be in a condition to try more difficult exercises. And more importantly, you won’t gain muscle mass. As such, it’s important to find a balance between resting and training.
Avoid muscle dysmorphia at all costs
When you’re eager to see gains in muscle mass, you feel motivated to reach your goals. Some think that the more they train, the faster they can see some gains. Actually, the trick to gaining muscle mass is doing workouts properly and letting your body rest for long enough.
Ignoring your body’s need to rest, regenerate muscle tissue, and release growth hormones, will hinder the process. There are even people who develop disorders such as, muscle dysmorphia, which is an obsession with exercise.
In addition, avoid overworking your body. Be very patient; you can reach your goals but it’ll take time. It’s better to go at it slowly while getting good results than to rush things and damage your body.
Balance
Enjoy all the good things you can get from your body. Training for any sport will give you benefits in terms of your appearance and physical/mental wellbeing.
Don’t feel guilty about sleeping after a hard workout. If your body asks for it, it’s because it needs it. What’s more, it’s critical for you to complete that cycle if you want to see gains in muscle mass.
Find a balance; your goal is to increase your muscle mass. Indeed, training and resting are your best friends and should go hand in hand. Finally, to see gains in muscle mass, diet, rest, and exercise have to work together. Take your time to give your workouts your all, and let yourself be carried away by good, restful sleep.