So you see? You need rest to balance the level of production of these hormones.

6. Without rest, you risk having overtraining syndrome burnout

4. Rest gives your body the time to restore those stored energy before your next run.

5. As regular exercise improves your sleep quality, so also does taking rest helps. Whenever you go over exercise your body, hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are overproduced and when this happens, you will find it difficult to get quality sleep which worsen exhaustion and fatigue. Resting for me is fitness training"- Jenson Button

I can't imagine myself going for a run and not taking out the time or a day off to rest. It is mandatory I do so if I advocate for a healthy run. It is very important to my health. At the end of every physical activity not just running, it is advisable you take a nap and rest. The only reason you have that refreshed feeling after an exercise is because of the quality rest you program your body to.

According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, rest is that period of time when you are not doing anything tiring and you can relax or sleep. Most cases, we hear the words "rest and sleep" used in the same context, no doubt these words have been used interchangeably in a different context to pass a similar idea. It is safe to say that sleep is a form of rest.  However, these two play different roles to our health. Whenever you do a strenuous work, you feel tired and the need to sleep and relax. During that stage of sleep, there is a sensory detachment from our surroundings. Our body system hibernates and goes into a repair state.

Rest is undoubtedly aimed at improving your physical and mental well-being so when you rest, you are both your body and brain a favor. Although sleep is regarded as a resting stage, most resting doesn't involve the same process as sleep. Ranging from the skin to the immune system, sleep directly impacts every bodily system. Working and not resting is like stuffing your body with junks, not having any chance for other dietary needs and requirement. You would just end up a big balloon of cholesterol! At some point, it is important to take a break. In fact, have regular breaks in between runs and other exercise you might engage in.

Picture this as going on a journey and stopping by a gas station to refuel. This is what rest does to your body. It refuels your body system to perform better afterwards. Simply put, a successful fitness routine without having days to rest isn't complete and successful in the first place. Taking regular breaks gives your body enough time for recovery and repair. Regardless of your fitness level, rest is a crucial art of progressive exercise. When you skip rest days, it leads to overtraining and eventually burnout. 

I know we have been told countless times to always stay active, I also encourage that but it is much more vital to have days you rest whether you are training for a competition or having a regular exercise. You feel extra energy flowing through your body and you feel you are so high and want to keep running, my advice is take a break and rest! You need it. Your body needs it.

Having said that rest is important and needed, now the question is, what are you to do on your rest day? It is not only a period for you to sleep off all day but also the time to consider giving your body certain things like-

Yoga- I could personally affirm that yoga is one of the best things you can do on a rest day. Yoga makes you calm, refreshes and makes your body ready for the next workout. Having 10 to 15 minutes of yoga will help exercise recovery; just a little time is all you need to enjoy the benefits of yoga. It improves your flexibility, breathing and body awareness.

Diet- Your diet on rest days is also another key factor to put into consideration. On your rest days, your body needs little amount of calories because it is inactive during that period so don't go resting and consume high- caloric foods. You just made it worse if you do that. Additionally, you should eat enough protein when you rest. This is good for you and appropriate intake of protein support the repair of muscles that happens when you rest. On your rest days, you should also focus on eating carbs to recover your level of glycogen.

Don't forget to drink enough water on your rest days too. This help deliver nutrients throughout your body and prevent muscle cramps. Even when you are not working, it is important to still drink enough water.

To make the most of your rest days, you can also engage in low impact workouts such as walking, dancing, casual swimming, etc. It helps you stay active whilst your body recovers. Allowing your body to rest is the best thing you can do to achieve a good and successful fitness training.