Fall Recovery Routine: Prepping Your Body Before Winter Hits

An active summer leaves most people a little beat up. Fall is a good time to ease off, recover, and set up a routine you can keep through the winter.

Summer is fun. You played hard: hiking, swimming, running, sports leagues, yard work. All that activity can leave you with tight muscles and nagging aches you pushed through because the weather was too nice to rest. Fall is a good time to take stock.

Why is fall a good time to recover?

Winter usually means less time outside and fewer activity options. Plenty of people also feel stiffer in the cold; we get into that in why winter makes aches feel worse. Going into winter with a steady routine beats going in worn out and then stopping altogether.

Think of it like car maintenance. You wouldn't drive into a harsh winter without checking your tires. Your body deserves the same attention.

A Fall Recovery Plan You Can Keep

• Take an easier week or two after your summer season ends
• Get any nagging ache that hasn't settled checked by a doctor
• Keep moving through the colder months, even if it's indoors
• Book regular recovery time: NormaTec compression after long runs, infrared sauna to warm up and relax, or BrainTap to wind down
• Protect your sleep as the days get shorter

What should you expect from recovery sessions?

Honest expectations help. NormaTec is FDA-cleared (over-the-counter models) to temporarily relieve minor muscle aches and pains and temporarily increase circulation, and reviews find small effects on how sore people feel. Research on heat after exercise is mixed. Most people who stick with these sessions do so because they like how they feel and it keeps them showing up for recovery.

Whether you're a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, come see us at DWT Wellness. Come spring, the same thinking applies in reverse — see our spring wellness reset. Your first session is free. Call (973) 908-1524.