When it comes to the Christmas and New Year’s Holiday break it can be all too easy to put the feet up and rest…for just that little bit too long! This blog walks you through what ‘rest and recovery’ may look like for you, while also giving you some things to think about when it comes to HOW you ‘rest and recover’.
Nobody is perfect, so there are going to be some people who rest for a little too long, and there are going to be people who may not rest enough. This blog also explains why you should be a little nicer to yourself over the Christmas and New Year period, and listen to your body.
As always, if you’re unsure of how to get back into exercise and training after a little holiday – make sure you chat with your Physiotherapist, who has a wealth of knowledge on getting back into the swing of things.
End of Year Relaxation
Christmas is coming in hot and soon we can bust out of work and put our feet up!
No more work desks, put the tools away, throw that work phone in the ocean!
Rest and recovery is a fantastic way to heal our bodies. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as too much rest and this end of year recovery may look different to each individual when considering their lead up to Christmas.
It is very important to give our muscles, tendons, and joints a chance to recover from whatever amazing physical activity we undertake. But is it possible to rest too much?? Of course!
What does Rest and Recovery Look Like?
For many of us, holidays potentially include a beach trip, maybe a few Netflix Binges and a decent amount of time in the seated or lying positions. Overall we typically see a decline in physical activity as routines are thrown out the window and we hit the road to visit the rellies!
If you have been hitting the gym regularly, or training hard in the lead up to Christmas, then this load reduction is not necessarily a bad thing. All you may want to do is find time to maintain some lighter training versions in order to avoid losing any progress you’ve worked hard for.
If you have been too busy to exercise due to crazy end of year work deadlines and school programs. Then realistically the end of year break should be a time to increase your activity during the relative rest period and begin good habits heading into the new year.
At a minimum, having a daily routine of basic activity like walking, stretches or a swim in the pool or ocean can be a nice relaxed way of maintaining general activity.
Be Kind to Yourself!
Recovery is as much a mental game as it is physical. Sitting in office cubicles and staring at computers or phones can be a massive strain to your body no doubt, however your mind needs recovery and relaxation as much as your body will. Time to get stuck into a good book, meaningful conversation or meditation.
ALSO having a BIG Christmas Dinner and a few drinks is for many of us an inevitable outcome. Try not to feel too guilty about it, enjoy the time you have with your friends and family. Life is about balance and a one off crazy meal will not ruin your holidays.
Try to remember that good health is all about balance and consistency. It’s what you do over the week, each week that really matters. Most of the time, move regularly, eat intelligently and then enjoy the pudding outbursts when they come along.
When Rest is not helpful!
THE BODY WANTS TO MOVE! IT NEEDS TO MOVE!
Prolonged postures or positions are usually not helpful for the body to remain comfortable. We all know that sitting at a desk with bad posture will lead to neck or back pain. Same rules apply on holidays. Absolutely get stuck into the cricket, long lunches or good books. But take regular breaks to move and reposition yourself. Your body will thank you later.
We at the Leaders Physiotherapy Team wish you all the best of Holidays and will be here if things do not go quite to plan.
