How To Cure A Workout Hangover

Like all good things, your workout too can come with its very own hangover; overdo it on the track or at the gym and you might wake up to some very sore and aching muscles the next morning. Do you wear sore muscles as a badge of honor, or does it put a spanner in your plans for the day ahead? Whatever you relationship with pain, the post workout hangover, or DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) as it is medically termed, is a reality you may need to work your way through - no matter how fit or active you may be.

You see no matter how inconvenient muscle soreness may be, it is actually a sign that your muscles are getting stronger. DOMS occurs when the body repairs the microscopic tears caused in the muscle during the course of the workout- usually a result of increased strain and impact that lies beyond the muscle's current comfort zone. Your body adapts to help you better prepare for the next time you encounter this new strain and therefore begins repairing the muscle- a process that is accompanied by localized inflammation.

The symptoms - which include reduced muscle strength, reduced range of movement and joint stiffness - become evident in 6 to 8 hours following your workout, peaking around 24 to 48 hours. These symptoms however usually fade in 72 hours.

That is not to say all muscle strength is measured by just how much soreness went into their making- that really is more of an urban myth. But certain muscles do tend to get sore as they work out and push their limits in the process of building strength. The stronger the impact on the muscle, the sorer it is bound to get, in particular if this impact is eccentric- that is the muscle tries to resist its own lengthening such as when lowering weights, running downhill or lowering the body into squats or push-up position.

So while you might want to run from the pain DOMS brings, in reality you need to embrace the soreness and pain your post workout hangover brings - all in the interest of your own body and strength. Cold water baths and anti-inflammatory pills are common recommendations to help get over the pain, but that is all they do and only in the short term; in the long term neither actually help with either relieving soreness or increasing muscle capacity.

In negotiating your way through the pain and soreness, you are actually much better off hitting the tracks or stepping back into the gym again. Light movement and exercise helps your muscles get back and moving a lot sooner, even if it means you need to find your way through the pain rather than around it. But when it comes to long term strategies that lend lasting results for your body, light exercise comes right on top.

A good diet can complement these efforts beautifully, and therefore you might want to tweak your pre and post-workout eating habits as well. Eating a snack/ meal abundant in proteins and carbohydrates soon after a workout helps accelerate the muscle repair process, alleviating symptoms such as soreness and pain- partially if not altogether.