Muscle fatigue is a typical side effect of exercise that can disrupt your routine, regardless of whether you are a beginner or a professional athlete. By adjusting to a training schedule, your body sends you a message that you’ve reached your metabolic and psychological limits.

Many people start an exercise routine to combat the tiredness that comes with a sedentary lifestyle. But what about the exhaustion that can follow a workout? Post-exercise fatigue can be caused by a variety of factors, but the good news is that overcoming lethargy after a workout is rather simple. In this article, we share the ways on how to fight fatigue after a workout.

Check your body mechanics

When exercising, be sure you’re using proper form and watch out for bad movement patterns and muscular imbalances. You must also stretch on a regular basis. Correct form during exercise can be achieved with the necessary strength and flexibility. If you can’t execute an activity with proper form, you’ll need to shed weight or change your workout routine. Improper body mechanics reduce efficiency, causing you to expend more energy than you need.

Consider your circadian rhythm

It’s possible that your post-exercise weariness is a result of your workout. While many people find that early morning workouts increase their energy levels throughout the day, this is not the case for everyone, especially those who perform better later in the day. If you enjoy working out at night but find it difficult to sleep, you might benefit from doing out earlier in the day.

It’s also worth noting that the optimal time of day to exercise differs from person to person, depending on their circadian rhythm. Simply put, folks who want to figure out the optimal time of day to exercise may have to experiment. Furthermore, remember that how often you exercise is more essential than when you exercise, so select a time that works for you and stick to it.

Eating habits

Have a small dinner or snack two hours before working out. Exercising on an empty stomach or a full stomach is not recommended. On the one hand, ensure that you eat something within an hour of completing your exercise. This will help muscles that have been harmed during exercise to mend and refuel. After exercising out, some people become really hungry, while others do not. However, it is a good idea to eat after a workout.

You can go for protein-rich meals since protein aids muscle healing and growth, which can help battle post-workout weariness. If you don’t usually become hungry after working out, 10 to 20 grams of protein would be enough. You may also consider a supplement after your meal to help yourself recuperate a lot faster. A senior health & fitness writer, Sean Newton recommends in his article that D-Ribose and N-Acetyl L-Carnitine are two essential compounds you need to take into account in terms of muscle and energy recovery.

Keep yourself hydrated

The body naturally loses water during activity as a result of sweating and breathing. You can minimize such setbacks by taking the appropriate precautions to avoid dehydration during or after an exercise. According to an article newly updated on healthcanal.com, that you should drink enough water to maintain your body composition and degree of physical activity.

It is critical to consume water throughout the day and sports drinks during exercise to avoid dehydration, electrolyte loss, and muscular weariness. It is suggested that you consume 10 to 12 glasses of water every day. More so, it is recommended that you consume 125 to 250 mL of an electrolyte-rich sports drink every 10 to 20 minutes while exercising. This will replenish the water and nutrients lost through perspiration.

Take a Rest and recover

Warm-up and cool down for 5 to 10 minutes each time you work out. Begin slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts to gradually challenge and build your muscles. Allow adequate time for your body to recover between exercise routines and strengthening reps. Ensure there is enough time between training sets for you to catch your breath.

Also, keep in mind that exhaustion signals that recovery has not yet happened. If this is the case, participate in low-impact, low-intensity exercises such as light swimming, strolling, or yoga to help you recover. Only until you’ve fully recovered and regenerated should you resume higher-intensity activity.

Conclusion

Overall, we can say that fighting fatigue after a workout is all about listening to your body. It’s a matter of taking care of it that it doesn’t reach its limit and at the same time, knowing what to watch out for in case your body is already signaling you to stop. Otherwise, you may have to consult your doctor since fatigue can also be due to medical conditions.