Consider this your official permission to recover.
As someone who loves to work out, I want to make every day of training count. Whether it’s Pilates, running, yoga, or lifting weights, movement keeps me happy, healthy, and strong. Working out every day is my jam, but sometimes my body craves time off. I’ve often wondered, how many rest days do I really need a week for recovery?
A quick refresher: A rest day is a day when you take a break from your typical exercise programming to allow time for your body to recover, says Natalya Vasquez, CPT, a certified personal trainer, health coach, and founder of Bridal Bootcamp San Diego. “Rest days can also be taken for mental health when you need a break from the daily grind,” she explains. “They’re intended to reset your body and mind and allow you time to recuperate.”
That said, rest days are not one-size-fits-all, says Vasquez. “Your unique circumstances, including your body and abilities, time constraints, lifestyle, goals, and natural gravitation to exercise will dictate how many days you exercise versus how many days you take off,” she explains. “Be open to a less rigid model of days on and off because there will be some weeks where you may be hesitant to take off even one day to rest, and others where you’ll either feel burnt out, sick, or have life circumstances that prevent you from sticking to your plan,” she adds. Flexibility and consistency are a more effective combo than a rigid schedule.
Read on for everything you need to know about optimizing rest days to help you achieve your workout goals and recover well, according to trainers.
Should you take a rest day?
Simply put, yes. Whether you’re new to exercise or a pro athlete, rest days are vital for physical and mental health, says Vasquez. “If you’re doing intense exercise on a regular basis, you want to allow time for your body to recover,” she says. “Exercising seven days per week with moderate to heavy intensity may be counterproductive to your goals and can even lead to injury. Your body needs a break.” Not to mention, if your muscles don’t have enough time to repair between workouts, you may not see the muscle growth or performance goals you’re working so hard to obtain, she adds.
When it comes to mental health, rest days can force you to resist the “no days off” mindset, which can cause overexertion and burnout, says Vasquez. Think about it: Have you ever taken a break from exercise (whether intentional or not) and after a couple days off you’re pumped to jump back into your routine, and you feel stronger than ever? “Taking rest days will keep the excitement alive and ensure that you’re not overdoing it,” explains Vasquez. “When it comes to exercise, more isn’t always better, and your body and mind need time to recover and reset.”
So how do you know if you need a rest day? If your body is always sore or you dread exercising, that’s your sign to take a day off, says Vasquez. “If there is pain in your body that doesn’t go away after a couple of days, you probably need at least one rest day, or if you dread going to the gym after four consecutive days of exercising, you also need a rest day,” she explains.
How many rest days do I need each week?
If you’re exercising with moderate- to high-intensity every time you workout, you should take at least one rest day a week to allow your muscles time to properly recover, says Vasquez. However, depending on your level of activity and the intensity of your workouts, you may need more. “Individuals doing high-intensity workouts for at least an hour at a time may benefit from multiple rest days per week, whereas people working out with moderate intensity for 30 minutes per day may only need one,” she explains.
The following cheat-sheet will give you an idea of how many rest days you need a week, depending on your goals:
How Many Rest Days A Week To Build Muscle
If your goal is gaining muscle, the number of rest days depends on your exercise programming. “If you’re lifting weights five days per week at moderate- to high-intensity for an hour at a time, you may want to take one to two rest days,” says Vasquez. “If you’re exercising for 30 minutes a day, then one day a week may be enough of a rest day for you because your muscles may be less fatigued,” she adds.
Plus, your rest days should be strategic, allowing each muscle group to have an adequate break, says Vasquez. For example, you wouldn’t want to work your shoulders and biceps multiple days in a row without recovery in between. But the recovery for upper body could include a lower body workout, since there is no overlap in muscle groups worked, she explains.
How Many Rest Days A Week To Lose Weight
At its core, weight loss is based on a total calorie deficit, or calories in from food and drink, compared to calories out from your bodies’ basic functions like breathing and blood circulation and additional activities like working out, says Vasquez.
Weight lost is not about the total number of days you exercise or take off, she explains. “Weight loss can be achieved with zero rest days or six, but all the other variables like exercise intensity and what you’re eating, matter more,” she adds. If you’re on a weight loss journey or concerned about your weight, it’s helpful to talk with a doctor or certified personal trainer for guidance and to create the best game plan for you.
How Many Rest Days A Week If You’re New To Fitness
If you’re new to working out, you may want to start with more rest days as your body adapts to new movements and added resistance, says Vasquez. “As your body and skills progress, you’ll be able to add additional exercise days without overexerting your body and injuring yourself,” she explains. As a benchmark, the US Department of Health recommends 75 to 300 minutes of exercise per week and at least three days of resistance training.
Benefits Of Rest Days
- Boost muscle recovery. Your muscles need time to repair, recover, and grow new tissue after a tough workout, says Vasquez. In fact, when you exercise, it depletes the body’s energy stores and causes muscle tissue to break down, research shows. But when your body has time to rest, it gives your muscles the opportunity to repair and replenish energy stores, ultimately boosting recovery and keeping you healthy.
- Promote muscle growth. Exercise creates tiny microscopic tears in the muscle tissue, but a rest day allows the tissue to heal and grow, resulting in increased muscle mass, research found. When your muscles don’t have enough time to repair between workouts, it can be counterproductive and you may not see the muscle gains you’re working toward, adds Vasquez.
- Reduce the risk of injury. If your muscles are overtired or overworked, it increases your risk of injury, says Vasquez. For one, a rest day keeps your muscles in tiptop shape so you’re able to maintain proper form in your workout, especially if you’re lifting weights. Second, rest days prevent overtraining which can lead to overuse injuries and fatigue, she adds.
- Support mental health. Your body often signals that you need a rest day before your ego concedes, but it’s just as important to reset and recover your mind, says Vasquez. “Taking rest days will keep the excitement alive and ensure that you’re not overdoing it,” she explains. Working out requires serious focus and mental fortitude, so give your mind a break. It’ll keep you motivated in the long run.
What To Do On Rest Days
Now that you know at least one rest day is a must, it’s natural to wonder what the best activities are to fill it. If you exercise at moderate- to high-intensity on a regular basis, then low- to moderate-intensity activities like walking, restorative yoga, stretching, or light cycling are considered rest-day activities, says Vasquez. “I don’t advocate for lying on the couch all day on rest days, but sometimes your body and mind may need it,” she explains. “I generally recommend breaking up a rest day with different activities that you find relaxing and pleasurable.”
But at what point does a rest day activity become exercise? It’s pretty individualized depending on your ability, fitness level, and current workout routine. If you’re moving your body at a much lower intensity than you usually do while exercising, it’s considered a rest day activity, says Vasquez. “What may be considered exercise for a beginner, like walking for thirty minutes, may be an active rest day activity for an avid exerciser,” she explains. Listen to your body and remember that more isn’t always better.
When it comes to actually taking a rest day, the timing usually depends on what kind of exercise you’re doing, the intensity, and your schedule, says Vasquez. “Your rest days should be planned around your training programming or the muscle groups worked and also your schedule and lifestyle,” she explains. If you prefer to have designated rest days each week, go for it. If your schedule requires flexibility, that’s okay too! Find what works for you and honor your mind and body when it needs time off.
Lastly, remember that rest days should focus on whatever brings you joy, whether it’s cooking, taking a warm bath, reading a book, lounging by the pool, lightly stretching, or getting a massage, says Vasquez. “There is no one set activity that will constitute a rest day because your exercise plan, goals, lifestyle, and individual preferences will dictate how you prefer to relax.”
