Hi I am Hilla Stenlund , blogger and wellness coach, nice to meet you here at Cool-X Blog! As a wellness coach, I think of wellness as a comprehensive package that includes several different areas: exercise, nutrition, rest, relationships, recovery, body care, comfortable work, sleep, mental well-being, family relationships, and a positive feeling towards life. The emphasis, roles and importance of these areas vary during life, but to some extent, all blocks should be taken care of and aware of their existence.

In my first text, I focus on recovery after training or physical activity. What should be taken into account in order to optimize your own recovery or to recover as efficiently as possible after training? I share 8 important tips.

What does recovery mean?

Recovery refers to the body's recovery and recovery process after exertion. Exertion can be, for example, strength training at the gym, a run that raises the heart rate, or a group exercise class that requires muscle endurance. Exercise and stress cause small microdamages to the muscles, stress the joints, contract the muscles and tax the body's fluid and energy reserves.

In your own state, strain can be noticed as sore muscles, tingling, fatigue, a higher resting heart rate or a rumbling stomach. At the cellular level, training and exercise also strain the nervous system and the body's defense system.

When you take recovery into account, the body recovers from stress, gets stronger and is faster ready for new challenges. During the rest period after sports performance, the so-called supercompensation takes place, during which muscle damage is repaired and the body returns to the initial level or even better than the initial level, in which case the condition increases, so to speak.

8 important things that help the body recover

1. Initial and final warm-up

The initial and final warm-up play many roles. The importance of exercise is easily forgotten because it is thought to take time away from effective exercise. However, exercise is key from the point of view of body care and recovery. It can affect the effectiveness of the exercise, better learning of skills and the athlete's health in order to prevent injuries.

A warmed-up body and muscles are more receptive, which means that, for example, less sprains and strains occur. Warm muscles work better during the performance, which in turn increases the efficiency of the exercise and thus the development. During the final workout, the body is calmly returned to rest, and any acids and waste products produced during the workout can move away from the muscles.

2. Sufficient hydration, remember to drink

Sufficient hydration and drinking is of paramount importance so that the body can function optimally during exercise and recover from the performance afterwards. The morning's sports are prepared the night before, while for the evening's workout, enough fluids are consumed throughout the day. The amount of fluid drunk just before sports does not have time to be absorbed by the muscles, but remains mostly in the stomach. That's why you should take care of hydration well in advance and drink regularly during the day.

3. Restorative and versatile nutrition

Regardless of the type of exercise or sports performance, you should eat afterwards so that the body can start the recovery process as efficiently as possible. With the versatile power of food, the body repairs damaged muscles and joints and replenishes depleted energy stores. If the next meal takes a long time after sports, it's a good idea to bring a restorative fruit, a muesli bar or, for example, a smoothie, which you can enjoy immediately after training and eat properly later.

4. Stretch the muscles for more length

Stretching relaxes the muscles and improves blood circulation. When exercising, the length of the muscle shortens when the muscle cells contract. When stretching, the length of the muscles is restored to their full size, the blood starts to circulate better and at the same time recovery is enhanced. When stretching, in addition to muscles, other soft tissues are also stretched, such as joints, tendons and the covering membranes surrounding blood vessels and nerves.

5. Promote recovery with the right products

The products in Cool-X's range, such as Magnesium Spray and Pain Cream, are helpful for recovery. Sufficient intake of magnesium increases endurance, prevents muscle spasms and speeds up recovery. The spray is also excellent for use during sports performance. The pain cream is suitable for use after training. It acts locally directly on the treated area, relieving pain, invigorating blood circulation and reducing swelling and muscle cramps.

6. Pamper your muscles with a massager

Regular massage helps both fitness and professional athletes. The purpose of the massage is to relax the tense muscle and recover it from training. Massage reduces post-exercise muscle swelling and soreness, which helps the body in its own recovery process. Massage also has a relaxing effect and has been found to have positive effects on stress. In addition to the body, massage and touch are good for the mind, thereby increasing overall well-being and supporting recovery.

7. Take rest days, you've earned them

Rest is as important as training. At rest, the muscles develop and when well rested, the following workouts are also more effective. Sometimes the flow of exercising and working out can take you away, but you should still not forget about rest days. You've earned them!

8. Value sleep and sleep refreshed

Finally, there is one more very important thing to mention in terms of recovery. Sleep. The main construction stages of our body take place during sleep. It's easy to compromise on sleep, but at the end of the day, it's the aspect of life that most effectively restores the body and mind from both mental and physical strain.

One can do with seven and the other needs nine hours to stay refreshed during the day. The most important thing is to pay attention to the regularity of your sleep and observe how you feel: am I refreshed when I wake up in the morning? Mostly yes, if you just sleep enough.

Have a happy training mind and remember to also take care of active recovery!

- Hilla Stenlund