Regeneration – an underestimated ally of every man

It’s no secret that hard work is required to achieve success in any field. Long hours spent on books or demanding workouts will surely pay off in the future. However, we should not forget about another important element of life, thanks to which our achievements can become even more magnificent – it is about the neglected by many rest.

A good night’s sleep is essential

Probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you say “regeneration” is a healthy sleep. No wonder, because it is this daily physiological need that turns out to be crucial in the context of proper functioning of the body. We distinguish two alternating phases of sleep. The first of these is the so-called REM phase. It is characterized by the fact that during this phase rapid eye movements occur, in addition dreams occur, brain activity and heart rate increases. It is believed that REM phase is responsible for the proper functioning of the nervous system, although its role is still under research.

The second phase is the non-REM phase. As the name suggests, it is a kind of counterbalance to the previously described phase. Sleep becomes deep, blood pressure, body temperature and metabolic rate decrease. In addition, this is the time when all regenerative processes in the body take place, and the pituitary gland releases a hormone, among others, responsible for tissue growth and muscle repair – the growth hormone.

One thing is certain – regardless of the circumstances, a person needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. If only we follow this very simple rule, we will see in a blink of an eye how big an impact it has on our results in any sports discipline. After all, rest is a very important (although often overlooked) part of training, which provides the necessary energy and good mood for the entire duration of exercise.

Water as fuel

Taking care of the proper length and quality of sleep is obviously only one of many ways to recover after a specific physical effort. Drinking water in large quantities also plays a significant role. A workout without consuming the right amount of this liquid might as well… not take place. According to experts, everyone (especially physically active people) should drink at least 3 liters of water a day, and this will result in the removal of toxins from the body and the proper functioning of enzymes.

Time to relax!

Ice packs, summer showers, active rest (swimming, cycling, jogging) or even such a simple thing as turning on some quiet music in the evening to relax after a hard day will also help in the regeneration process.

It turns out, then, that the ways to take a little rest are not the most complicated, so it is all the more worth giving it a lot of importance.

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