Exercise is a balancing act—both physically and metaphorically! Your body has physiological responses to the stress placed on it by physical activity, and it’s important that you take steps to help restore it to its pre-exercise state. That’s where recovery comes in. T&S spoke with Dr. Jeff Kreher, a primary care, functional medicine provider and sports medicine specialist at PALM Health, about the importance of taking the proper steps to destress and recover from a workout.

What is recovery?
Recovery has many facets but generally it is recognized as the return to a non-stressed state—both mentally and physically. Recovery is essential for exercise and stress management and without proper recovery, even a daily walk in the heat can be detrimental to an individual. 

How does exercise stress the body? 
Exercise by definition is a stress to the body. It impacts and strains all systems in the body, including cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, skeletal, nervous, endocrine and immune. It can cause small injuries and places increased demand on your natural recovery system and healing mechanism. These stressors can have a positive impact. They signal the body to get stronger over time, allowing for a return in investment on your effort and time. However, they can be harmful without property recovery.

Are there stressors other than physical exertion?
It’s important to realize that the physical stress of exercise can compound the impact of other stressors in your life. If you’re experiencing mood changes, irritability, brain fog and fatigue, both mental and physical strain on the body is contributing to that. It’s important to pay attention to signs of early burnout and find balance. For example if stress at work is going up, it’s not advisable to increase the stress of your training program. Take the bigger picture into account.

What are some of the negative impacts of forging recovery?
Skipping recovery can lead to injuries, fatigue and impaired performance. It also could make you more likely to feel sick and mentally burned out. If you’re overreaching in your fitness routine, you’ll likely find yourself pushing harder but not experiencing the expected gains. One of the first signs that you’re overtraining is a loss of vigor or excitement for your workout or even other daily activities. This can purely be because you’re not taking the time for proper recovery.

How does recovery benefit the body?
Recovery allows your muscles to heal and grow, restores energy and lowers your risk of getting hurt. It also helps with the realization of the gains made from exercise, improves your mood and ensures that you will perform better in future workouts. Think of it as a way to maintain how well your engine is functioning—without it, you just can’t go.

Are there ways to optimize recovery?
People can improve their recovery by listening to their body and tracking their workouts. You can also use a wearable to get biofeedback. Adjust how you rest and recover based on how you feel. Take time to calm your body and nervous system. Just lying on the floor with your feet up to the wall can have multiple benefits, including stretching, improving fluid circulation and resetting the body from an active adrenaline-driven state.

It’s also important to recognize that recovery is very individualized—one person’s program is not going to be effective for every athlete. You really need to pay attention to how your body is responding and the potential effect of other factors in your life, like commitments to work and family. I often talk to the athletes I work with about knowing what their tipping point is. Recognize when overwork is becoming an impairment by cluing into your body. Just be thoughtful about the impact exercise is having.

ways to implement recovery into your routine.

  • Quality sleep
  • Proper nutrition with post-workout protein and carbohydrates and an otherwise baseline anti-inflammatory diet
  • Taking rest days
  • Hydration
  • Body work like stretching or using a foam roller or compression clothing
  • Cold therapy
  • Massage therapy
  • Chiropractic care