Tips for conquering post-workout muscle pain
Working out is fantastic for your mind and body, but chances are that you’ve been the victim of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) at some point. There’s nothing worse than finishing a satisfying workout to find yourself in extreme agony because you didn’t look after yourself properly. Although it’s perfectly normal, post-workout muscle pain is not particularly comfortable. Luckily, there are strategies you can adopt in an attempt to fight off muscle soreness, including plenty of sleep and ‘active recovery.’
Hydration
Staying hydrated goes further than satisfying your thirst; depleted electrolytes cause muscle soreness. When you work out, your body pumps blood around your body at fast speeds, and it is made up of water primarily. Throughout your routine, you will sweat and lose even more water. The best way to keep hydrated is to keep a bottle of water close by and take sips throughout your workout.
After you have finished working out, you need to replace all of your lost liquids. You should try and avoid caffeine and surgery drinks as they can contribute to dehydration. So-called ‘sports drinks’ can often fall into this category so do be very careful with your choices or, preferably, just stay with water!
Improved circulation
Muscle soreness is caused by small tears that heal up to make them stronger. You can speed up the process by improving your blood circulation. Getting oxygen-rich blood to the area will reduce the healing duration.
There are several great ways to improve circulation. You could try taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, which will help to relieve your pain further. Alternatively, you could try using compression clothing that is designed to push blood through the veins.
Active recovery
This will sound counterintuitive and the last thing that you’ll want to do, but gentle movements can help reduce muscle soreness. When you start, it will be painful but once you get the blood flowing it will start to feel better. You shouldn’t do anything too strenuous. Although you could purchase special recovery equipment, all you need to do is stretch out your muscles and go for a walk.
To avoid post-workout muscle pain, you should always cool down. This will involve a series of stretches that last around 5 minutes.
CBD
As a natural chemical, CBD oil is fantastic for alleviating muscle pain and aiding recovery by reacting with your endocannabinoid system, which is in part responsible for your immune system. If this is something you want to try, you could consider the best CBD oil options available online at companies such as Handpicked CBD, rated excellent on Trustpilot. They offer a full range of drops and brands, and quite often run some great discounts.
Catch some zzz’s
Sleep doesn’t need any introduction, but you should know that getting a good night’s sleep will work wonders for your body. When you’re off in the land of nod, your body is hard at work pumping out essential hormones that promote healing.
Muscle soreness is a natural occurrence that will never truly go away, but by practising some easy methods, you can greatly reduce your recovery time.