Why Rest Days Are Just as Important as Your Workouts

Why recovery is the secret to strength and longevity

When people ask me how often I work out, I usually say every day of the week. What I don’t always explain right away is that one of my favorite “workouts” is actually a rest day. I love to get in a good strength, yoga, Pilates, or cardio session most days of the week, and then on the 7th day, I prioritize rest.

For so long, I thought rest meant laziness. I pushed myself nonstop for so many years. I was always teaching classes, running around the city, and filling every hour of my day. It wasn’t until I started studying the science of stress and recovery that I realized rest isn’t wasted time. It’s where growth actually happens.

Why Rest Days Matter

When you strength train, you create tiny tears in your muscles. Yoga opens up tissues, joints, and fascia. Even long walks ask a lot of your body. Rest is when the rebuilding happens. It’s when your nervous system shifts from fight or flight into rest and digest. It’s when the effort of your workouts gets integrated into strength, stability, and clarity.

Skipping rest is like constantly pouring water into a cup that’s already full; eventually, it spills over. But when you honor recovery, your body adapts, your mind clears, and your energy returns tenfold.

My Favorite Rest Day Rituals

On my rest days, I don’t just collapse on the couch (although sometimes that’s exactly what I need and I honor that as well). I like to think of them as active recovery days or gentle practices that recharge me without overtaxing my body.

Some of my go-to rituals:

• Gentle yoga or stretching – just 15–20 minutes to open the body without pushing. This is where I often do a lovely Yin practice or a Restorative yoga flow.

• Breathwork – I love practicing simple box breathing or alternate nostril breath. Even just lying on the floor in constructive rest and taking deep belly breaths is so rejuvenating.

• Meditation – even 5 minutes makes a difference. I have a twice-daily meditation practice, but on my rest day, I often find it’s nice to do a guided meditation in addition to my own Vedic practice.

• Walking – slow, mindful walks with my boys or out in nature. Getting outside and moving without a pace goal is so wonderful. My boys and I will also take a relaxing bike ride sometimes, too.

• Early bedtime – nothing restores me more than a full night’s sleep. Sleep is truly where our bodies recover, and it’s super important to make sure you have a sleep routine set up and use your rest day as a reminder to prioritize healthy sleep habits.

A Different Kind of Strength

Rest takes discipline. It means choosing to pause when the world tells you to hustle. But I’ve learned that slowing down is the bravest way to keep showing up for the long haul. Isn’t it interesting how hard it can be to actually not feel the need to push harder or do something every day?

When I see my students permit themselves to rest, I see them light up in new ways. Their balance improves. Their posture changes. They move with more grace. That’s the power of recovery. I also see how crucial it is for my boys. They have activities scheduled all week long and are very involved in sports. When Sunday hits, they really just want to chill out. I honor that space for them, and sometimes we may spend the entire day doing Legos, building puzzles, reading together, or settling in to watch a movie. If we move, it’s unstructured and more leisurely, like a walk in the park, a bike ride, or playing at the playground.

Try It Yourself

If you’ve been pushing hard, I invite you to claim one rest day this week—guilt-free. Treat it like part of your training, because it is. Add it to your calendar so you see it clearly and let it be a gentle nudge to give yourself grace. Let yourself relax. I think of rest days as far more powerful than so-called “cheat days.” Instead of restricting and then overindulging, I prefer a balanced approach: enjoy little treats daily, and balance that with one day of rest weekly. That way, you never feel deprived or depleted. Most importantly, listen to your body. You have all the wisdom inside of you, and you may even notice you do better when you have two rest days a week.

And if you need a little guidance, I have a whole library of gentle yoga flows, meditations, and breathwork sessions inside my Flow • Sculpt • Connect app designed exactly for these moments. You can explore them all with a free 7-day trial.

Your body (and mind) will thank you.