Importance of Rest and Recovery

Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, Director of Sport Psychology

Being your best is about becoming an expert on recovery.  It is important to work hard to be your best.  But it is also important to rest frequently and deeply.  We understand the importance of physical recovery, but mental and emotional recovery are just as important.  Come up with strategies to rest your body.  And also develop processes so that you are able to rest your mind.  Imagine if you had a consistent routine after every time you train and compete? Maybe as you roll out your body and stretch, you think about your performance and you reflect on what you did well, what you want to do better, and what you learned.  As you leave practice you leave your sport behind and you focus on other aspects of your life.  And just as you have a routine to keep that body well that may include massage or baths; imagine if you also have a routine to roll out your head and emotions.  Maybe consider doing mindfulness, or yoga or meditation or walks in nature.  Working hard is physically and emotionally demanding.  The more you push, the more challenging it is to stay both physically and mentally well.  Pay attention and be intentional about resting when you are able so that being a high performer becomes sustainable for you.