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There’s no doubt that exercise can enhance your health and well-being, but it can become counterproductive if you don’t follow through with proper recovery and rest. Whether you’re a casual fitness enthusiast or a full-on competitive athlete, exercise recovery is critical to maintaining vitality and building upon your fitness gains.
Although strenuous training is great for conditioning, endurance, and building strength, it can occasionally result in damaging the muscles you seek to develop. In these cases, over-exertion causes microscopic tearing and inflammation of the muscle fibers, resulting in soreness and inflexibility that can last for several days. This painful phenomenon is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (or DOMS).¹ Beyond a painful inconvenience, DOMS can detract from or outright derail your fitness goals. The good news is that it doesn’t have to. With the right rest and recovery techniques, you can prevent muscle damage, improve muscle health, and train more effectively.
CBD For Workout Recovery
Since its entrance into the wellness market, CBD has earned its reputation as an effective and plant-based method of exercise recovery. In fact, athletes of all stripes are trading in NSAIDS and other pharmaceuticals in favor of CBD! Research suggests that CBD for athletes and non-athletes alike can help alleviate pain and inflammation, support muscle health, and enhance athletic recovery without the side effects associated with more conventional pain relievers.² The benefits aren’t limited to relief from pain and inflammation—CBD harnesses properties that can support full-body relaxation, ease anxiety, and promote restful sleep.³ Here are a few tips to use in conjunction with CBD to help you achieve—and sustain—maximum fitness.
Get Adequate Sleep
The keyword is adequate since sleep needs vary from person to person. The consensus is, however, adults should get 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye each night to be at their best. If you are wondering, “Does your body heal when you sleep?” the answer is absolutely. In fact, sleep is crucial in maintaining a healthy physique. Our muscles can experience full relaxation during sleep, which can help alleviate pain and tension. In addition, your brain releases hormones that repair and strengthen your muscles while you sleep.⁴ Inadequate rest can interfere with this recovery process, causing a host of ailments for mental and physical health which can seriously sabotage your fitness goals. Frequent inadequate rest may also be a good cause to reset your sleep schedule to get your body back on track.
Ongoing studies indicate that CBD may help us get the quality of sleep required to heal and thrive with minimal risk of daytime fatigue.⁵ Our Sleep Collection includes a range of products all crafted to support deep relaxation, pain relief, and restorative sleep with a potent blend of CBD, CBG, and (the sleep specialist cannabinoid) CBN. By leveraging time-tested, functional ingredients (like melatonin, lemon balm, and passionflower) our Sleep Capsules and Sleep Tincture encourage the regenerative rest you need to stay at the top of your game.
Passive Recovery
Synonymous with R&R (rest and relaxation), passive recovery is referring to a sustained period of complete and total rest. This lack of exertion is recommended to help give our muscles and joints an opportunity to recuperate, repair, and rebuild. Passive methods can include time in the sauna, restful naps, or a cool bath. CBD oil massages offer an excellent form of passive recovery, too. A deep tissue massage with our CBD Body + Massage Oil, CBD Muscle Rub or Relief + Recovery Balm can offer multiple benefits—such as relief from an uncomfortable sore muscle that won’t let up, improved circulation, and a full-body sense of rejuvenation.
A Balanced Diet
Post-workout nutrition can help support muscle repair and recovery. A balanced diet high in carbohydrates and protein is thought to reduce muscle soreness and restore muscle tissue.⁶ Nuts, turkey, fish, watermelon, and cottage cheese are just a few examples of helping your body retain strength and recover quickly. CBD may be a useful supplement in sustaining fitness. Cannabidiol is packed with properties that promote comprehensive wellness.⁷ From pain and inflammation relief to its sedative properties—even elite athletes can attest to the multifunctional benefits of CBD. As you prepare your next post-workout meal, consider infusing a protein-rich dish with nourishing, USDA Certified Organic CBD Coconut Oil.
Additional tips that can reinforce your recovery efforts:
Active Recovery
Active recovery refers to low-impact exercises that help the body stay loose and flexible while enabling tissue repair and blood flow. It’s also thought to help your body circulate metabolic waste generated by physical exertion. A few basic active recovery techniques include low intensity exercises like yoga, pilates, walking, jogging, and the use of foam rollers.⁸ During active recovery, your heart rate should be a little more than half the rate of your typical workout. In essence, active recovery should keep you moving without working up a sweat.
Hydrate/Replace Lost Fluids
Hydration is essential to healthy muscle tissue functioning, which is why it’s imperative to restore all fluids lost after a tough workout. Individual hydration needs can vary, but on average it’s recommended active adults drink about 2.7 to 3.7 liters per day.⁹
Staying hydrated prevents DOMS by keeping muscles and joints lubricated. It also cools your body temperature during workouts. Proper hydration helps us to transport nutrients throughout the body during exercise. For best results, sip rather than guzzle—as slower intake allows for maximum fluid absorption.¹⁰
Warm Up + Cool Down
A proper warm-up and cool-down can go a long way in helping to prepare for and repair from fitness training. An effective warm-up will entail a combination of dynamic stretches for at least 10 minutes to gradually elevate heart rate, increase blood flow, and reduce the risk of joint and muscle injury.¹¹
A cool-down of the same duration facilitates a gradual decrease in body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate before you officially complete your workout routine. Post-workout stretches are thought to help your body release lactic acid that accumulates during dynamic exercise, which can ward off muscle tension and soreness.¹²
So, do you feel ready to incorporate workout recovery practices into your workout routine? We’ve shared some commonly used techniques, but there’s a host of methods to choose from. It’s all about listening to your body and finding the approaches that best address your individual needs. Whatever you wind up trying, CBD can help you spend less time in the muscle recovery mode with an all-natural boost. Explore our shop to discover our comprehensive line of effective CBD products, crafted to encourage quicker recovery and keep your fitness goals on track.
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Sources:
¹ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/pain-after-exercise
² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3371734/
³ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont
⁴ https://www.sleep.org/how-sleep-adds-muscle
⁵ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
⁶ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322692#importance-of-the-post-workout-snack
⁸ https://www.healthline.com/health/active-recovery#precautions
¹⁰ https://www.healthline.com/health/drink-water-overhydration
¹¹ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise
¹² https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/warm-up-cool-down