5 Ways to Recover Quicker After a Workout
The day after a tough workout is often difficult. Your aching muscles make getting in and out of your car a real nightmare, and you can’t finish even the most basic tasks. However, implementing certain habits will help you alleviate the pain that comes after a strenuous workout session. Here are five methods that helped me in my workout recovery:
Take Casein Supplement Before Bed
Although a lot of workout supplements aid recovery to some extent, the casein protein supplement is a special one. This is a dairy protein that your body digests slowly. If taken before bed, it will gradually release amino acids in your body, helping your muscles recover and reducing their breakdown while you sleep.
Several studies have found that casein protein powder helps your muscles recover and grow. It boosts protein synthesis in your cells, even when your body’s tearing down your muscles to sustain itself (like when you haven’t eaten in a while).
Below are some of the benefits of this amazing protein.
What are the Benefits of Casein Protein?
- Helps your muscles grow: This supplement is a great option if you want to grow muscle. It offers benefits similar to those of whey supplements when you take it before or after a workout session. Casein is even superior to other proteins when you take it as an evening snack. It produces a gel in your stomach that provides a constant supply of amino acids to your muscles all night long, promoting muscular development and recovery;
- It delays hunger: Your body takes a while to digest micellar casein. This helps you feel fuller and decreases your hunger. So, if you want to lose weight or you don’t usually feel full between meals, try including it in your diet!
- High in nutrients: With roughly 50% of the recommended requirement per serving, certain types of casein powder are a fantastic source of calcium. This nutrient supports a lot of processes in the body that relate to the health of the bones, muscles, and arteries. Additionally, bioactive peptides found in casein are proven to lower blood pressure in a similar way to regularly prescribed blood pressure drugs.
One downside of casein is that it isn’t suitable for those who are allergic to cow’s milk. Fortunately, most kids outgrow this allergy, so adults are less likely to experience it.
Shower with Cold Water
Strenuous exercise can cause micro-tears in your muscles, causing Edema, inflammation, and pain. This is a normal occurrence since the muscles are growing stronger and responding to pressure.
So, instead of using hot water and sitting under your showerhead for hours, opt for a short cold-water shower! Chilly baths and showers can help decrease inflammation and promote healing if you’re still sore several days after your workout.
Some athletes go a step further by using cryotherapy to relieve their muscle pain. This is a process that involves subjecting the body to extremely low or almost freezing temperatures. A recent study showed that whole-body cryotherapy helps you recover strained muscles. According to the study, regular treatments of cryotherapy increase the chance of a quicker recovery.
Always consult a medical professional if you’re experiencing intense pain or discomfort that lasts more than several days, or if you want to try a different treatment.
Try to De-Stress
I’m sure you already know that stress is bad for your mental health, but how does stress affect your muscles?
This common modern-day culprit makes your body more preoccupied with the stress response and less able to prioritize muscle repair. A study from 2014 examined whether stress impacts muscular recovery, energy, weariness, and soreness following a strenuous workout.
It found that higher levels of stress were connected with poorer recovery, whereas lower levels of stress were related to better recovery. Among other things stress can impact your sleep, eating habits, hormones, and general well-being. All of those factors impact your immune system’s reaction, which is crucial for muscle regeneration.
If you’re under a lot of stress, try mindfulness, meditation, or yoga, or diffuse some essential oils like lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood. Many internal and environmental elements might affect your stress levels; if it’s affecting your everyday life negatively on a regular basis, speak with a healthcare provider.
Get Someone to Massage You
A massage is a powerful tool for reducing muscle pain. This quickens the healing process by increasing blood flow to the muscles. The improvement in circulation also lessens the fatigue that comes after a challenging workout. No matter what kind of workout you’ve done, massage can alleviate your pain. This holds true for a variety of physical activities, including bodybuilding and jogging.
Don’t Overwork Yourself
Certain parts of your body will occasionally feel tighter during or after a workout. These imbalances are often caused by your lifestyle, habits, anatomy, and past accidents. For example, if you’re left-handed, your left side will feel stronger, while your right side will feel tighter. If you have a knee injury from running, your knees might feel weaker than before; if you spend the whole day in front of your laptop, your shoulders might feel stiff.
Listen to your body and avoid overexerting yourself. Take some time to breathe and pay attention to how you feel so that you can adjust to what your body needs. During your next workout, spend a bit more time stretching the tight parts and pay close attention to how they feel.
By putting these suggestions to use for yourself, you can give your body the resources it requires for recovery. The faster your muscles heal, the sooner you can continue working towards your goals!