The game has been tough, painful, and stressful. And it is over now. No matter what the final score is, you have to give yourself time and space to recover from the exceptional physical and mental exhaustion during and after the game. All the sports coaches would agree that time for resting is as important as the time for practice, so let’s see all the steps you can take to recover after the game.
Don’t Forget To Rehydrate
You lose a lot of water through extensional perspiration during the performance. You may not feel it, but dehydrating your body can lead to various health complications and it can slow down your metabolism.
Make sure you take little sips frequently since gulping large water amounts suddenly can also have a negative effect (your stomach suffers in that way).
Protein Intake
During the game, our muscles take on a lot of pressure and burden. That is why it is important to take a lot of proteins to rebuild the muscle structure and to reenergize the organism. The case with proteins intake is the same as rehydration – it is important to consume proteins in small amounts as not to expose your body to additional shock.
Get Enough Sleep
Along with liquids and food, quality sleep is also responsible for the regeneration of muscles, brain cells, and bones.
Make sure you go to bed before midnight, since the perfect period to get the best of RAM and REM phases is between midnight and 3 a.m. In that way, you will go through a full process of night sleep, and you will easily recover on a physical level.
Massage
If your muscles need more relaxation, the best way to treat them is with a massage. Massage would take away the fibrositis that can appear around your neck, shoulders, on your thighs, hips, arms, and chests during the high performances. Fibrositis can cause pain in all of these regions, and massage is a nice way to ease its symptoms.
Yoga and Meditation
It is not new that calming activities like yoga can bring about more relaxation to your body and mind. Since it consists of stretching and breathing exercises, yoga is there to find a balance between your body and your mind, to keep your thoughts under control, and to make you more aware of all parts of your body. The meditative part at the end of the yoga session draws your attention to the tiniest body parts and organs, which can help you understand your body and mind as one perfect whole.
Hot and Cold Showers
It is said that cold showers can reduce inflamed muscles and swollen joints. In addition, they can speed up your circulation. On the other hand, hot showers further relax and heal your muscles, as well as loosen stiff joints. By alternating hot and cold showers, lymph vessels pump and move the stagnant fluid of an inflamed area, which helps muscles recover faster.