Recovery: It's Not Just About Sleep
- Mel Victoire
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 24
Feeling tired? Constanty stressed? Getting injured or sick a lot more? You're not alone, and you're not broken. You need to add a dash of recovery to your life. Rest and recovery are the unsung heroes of feeling better, moving more and building lasting change.
As a coach, and someone who deals with stress on a daily basis in my own life, while juggling different goals and challenges, I know how just by incorporating small bursts of recovery on top of more quality sleep can help to reduce stress levels and improve my energy levels. And most importantly, reduce injury and illness!
It doesn't matter if you are training for a half marathon, a black belt grading, chasing after a couple of energetic kids or just trying to get through the work week - recovery is important for all of us and you can incorporate it into your life.
SLEEP: Your Underrated Superpower
Lack of sleep affects everything in your body, from metabolism and hormones, to mood and your ability to perform or make decisions. It's not good for your motivation and makes those workouts or concentrating in that meeting at work harder than they should be.
Here are a couple of easy ways to improve your sleep:
Delay caffeine by an hour after waking up and no caffeine after 12pm (most adults have too-little sleep and too much caffeine)
Set a bedtime. And a reminder for that bedtime. Every day of the week - same time, even on weekends!
Have a wind-down routine. Use that bedtime reminder as your time to get ready for bed. Try a hot shower, read a book and 5min stretch session
Screen-free before bed! That means no devices, computers, TV before bed
Getting good quality sleep more often than not is the key to feeling more energised. You don't need it to be perfect, just better
REST: It Can Be Productive, Not Lazy
Rest days are not just about lazing around on the louge, binge watching the next tv series. It is a time to let your body and brain reset. This is where we talk about the two different types of rest/recovery - Active & Passive.
Active recovery: Walking, light mobility, restorative yoga, deep breathing
Passive recovery: Sleep, naps, quiet time (no screens), doing absolutely nothing
Including just 10-15mins of intentional rest each day can make a big difference
Stress Management: Stress is Unavoidable - But You Can Reset
We all have moments of stress in our daily lives. It is unavoidable. From the car cutting you off in traffic, to the kids forgetting to tell you about that craft project tomorrow or the customer yelling at you at work. It happens everywhere and can cause raised blood pressure, feelings of frustration or anger and can cause you to make irrational decisions or actions. You can't control those things, but you can control how you respond and below are some tips to help you bring your body back to a state of calm.
Try these:
The 4-6 Breath: Inhale for 4, exhale for 6 (do this 5 or 6 times)
Nature breaks: Go for a walk outside with no phone or headphones
Mini recovery moments: stretch, meditate, sit with a cup of tea and no distractions - 1min or 5mins, whatever works for you
Feeling wiped out or stressed out is the time to recover, not push harder
If you have been feeling off - tired, tense, can't recover from that niggling injury, or reacting negatively more often, you might need to add some rest & recovery to your life. And guess what? It doesnt need to be anything crazy.
Start right now!
Pick one of the above recovery habits to try for the next 7 days
Add it to your calendar, just like you would anything else (or make it part of another routine, eg after showering for the night, you sit and read for 15mins)
Notice how you feel - both physically and mentally - when you make time to rest
Want support building recovery into your wellness routine?
I coach real people with real lives to move, fuel and recover in ways that feel good—not overwhelming. Book your free check-in call and let’s chat about what you need to feel your best (and how to actually make it happen).
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