MLK Weekend Self-Care: Using Rest Days Wisely

Happy MLK Weekend. If you're taking today to rest, I want you to do it fully. Without guilt. Without feeling like you "should" be doing something productive.

Because here's what most people don't understand: rest IS productive. In fact, it's essential.

Rest Is Not Laziness

We live in a culture that glorifies busyness. That treats rest as laziness. That makes us feel guilty for sitting still.

But physiologically, rest is when the real work happens.

What happens when you rest:

Your muscles repair and rebuild. You don't get stronger during your workout - you get stronger during recovery. Exercise creates microscopic tears in muscle fibers. Rest is when your body repairs and strengthens them.

Your hormones rebalance. Cortisol (the stress hormone) drops during rest. Growth hormone increases. For women in menopause, this hormonal reset is crucial for managing symptoms.

Your nervous system recovers. Chronic stress keeps your nervous system in "fight or flight" mode. Rest shifts you into "rest and digest" - the state where healing happens.

Your mind processes and integrates. Sleep and rest are when your brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and clears out metabolic waste. It's not downtime - it's essential maintenance.

Why Rest Matters More After 40

As we age, recovery takes longer. That's not a weakness - it's biology.

Recovery slows with age. What used to take 24 hours to recover from might now take 48 or 72 hours. This is normal and doesn't mean you're "getting old" - it means you need to honor your body's timeline.

Hormonal changes affect recovery. Declining estrogen affects muscle repair, sleep quality, and stress response. Rest becomes more important, not less.

Chronic stress accumulates. By midlife, most of us carry years of accumulated stress. Our systems need more recovery time to process it all.

Quality over quantity. You might not need MORE rest than you did at 25, but you need BETTER rest. Intentional, restorative, guilt-free rest.

Rest Day Nutrition

One mistake I see often: women eat less on rest days because they're "not burning as many calories."

But rest days are when your body is doing its hardest work - repair work. It needs fuel.

Keep protein intake high. Your muscles don't know it's a rest day. They're busy repairing and rebuilding. They need protein just as much - maybe more - than on active days.

Aim for the same 25-30g per meal. Don't cut back on protein just because you're not exercising. The repair process requires amino acids.

Eat warm, satisfying meals. Rest days are perfect for nourishing comfort food. Let yourself enjoy it.

Stay hydrated. Water is essential for the repair processes happening throughout your body. Muscle repair, waste removal, nutrient transport - all require adequate hydration.

Don't skip meals. Undereating on rest days can actually slow recovery. Eat normally. Nourish yourself.

Different Types of Rest

Rest doesn't always mean sleep. There are different types of rest, and you might need different ones at different times.

Physical rest: Sleep, napping, sitting still, letting your body recover from physical activity.

Mental rest: Taking a break from problem-solving, decision-making, and cognitive work. Mindless activities like watching TV or taking a bath.

Emotional rest: Time away from emotionally demanding situations or people. Space to process feelings.

Social rest: Time alone if you're usually around people. (Or social connection if you're usually isolated.)

Sensory rest: Reducing input - dimming lights, silence, unplugging from screens.

This weekend, check in with yourself: What kind of rest do you actually need?

Permission to Rest

Here's your permission slip for this MLK Weekend:

You are allowed to:

• Sleep in without an alarm
• Skip your workout
• Do nothing productive
• Eat nourishing comfort food
• Stay in your pajamas
• Say no to social obligations
• Watch TV without guilt
• Take a long bath
• Nap in the middle of the day
• Let the house be messy

You don't need to earn rest. You don't need to "deserve" it through productivity. Rest is not a reward - it's a requirement.

A Final Thought

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."

I think there's also wisdom in knowing when to pause.

Rest doesn't mean you've stopped moving forward. It means you're preparing to move forward stronger.

This weekend, take care of yourself. Rest deeply. Eat well. Give your body what it needs.

You deserve it - not because you earned it, but because you're human.

Happy MLK Weekend.

For more nutrition tips, rest day guidance, and high-protein recipes for women over 40, visit merinanutrition.com.