A short break between workouts is essential, as your body and muscles need to recover. Why else is it important and how long should the break last?   

You cannot work out 5 days in a row without taking a recovery break, as it can result in injuries. These breaks are as important as the sport itself. There is no single tip for everyone regarding the recovery time, as it depends on many factors:

Your goal (gain or lose weight, etc.), intensity of the workouts, type of program (weight lifting, cardio, fitness, yoga, etc.), your fitness level, and your lifestyle. 

After an intense workout, your muscles go through a ‘procedure’ called muscle protein synthesis. It is the replacing of damaged proteins in the muscles with new ones. So as soon as you start to work out, this process starts by gradually reshaping and changing your body. To let muscle protein synthesis run its course, you need to take breaks. 

This process will work best when you have the right timing and then go back at it with another workout. The timing here varies from person to person, but studies show that it may take your body from 24 to 48 hours to get some rest. Moveover, power training involves higher cortisol production (stress hormone), so over-exercising may cause a depressed state or anxiety. 

Besides the right recovery time frame, you should also pay a lot of attention to your diet and sleep schedule.

Continuing to do physical exercise smartly will make you feel better and help you achieve the results that you want. Log your daily activities and mood with the MIA app to learn more about your own body.