To Your Health: Rest, relaxation crucial for continued health

It’s the end of the year. After fishing hard for months, your traps are in and the ropes are coiled. If someone asks you how you’re doing, it’s likely your answer will be “I’m tired.”

Only with rest and sleep can your muscles recuperate from a long hard season. Wikipedia photo.

And that’s to be expected. Lobstermen place their bodies and minds under a lot of stress, day in and day out. Muscles are called on to lift and turn and bend while bouncing around on the sea. Getting up before the sun for long days on the water takes a toll on the body just as worrying about the cost of bait and fuel, changes in the weather, and balky engines takes a toll on the mind.

Which is why rest and recuperation are so important. Taking time to relax your body and mind will make you all the more ready to work when you are called upon to do so.

When you use your muscles hard, they suffer damage at the cellular level, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Recuperation is the process by which the body repairs this damage and builds stronger, more resilient muscle fibers.

Hauling a zillion traps will likely cause microscopic tears in the back and shoulder muscles. In response nutrients and specialized cells called satellite cells are sent to those muscle fibers. Satellite cells are stem cells located in skeletal muscle that normally just hang around quietly. They become active after muscle tears and proliferate, linking up with the torn muscle fibers to repair the tears and to strengthen and grow the muscle.

The satellite cells aren’t the only ones called into action after you use your body hard. Proteins also play a part. Foods rich in protein (like fish, chicken, eggs, or beans) break down into amino acids. Amino acids are used to rebuild and strengthen muscle tissue. But rebuilding takes time. This process usually peaks between 24 and 48 hours after intense physical activity. Water also plays a big role in muscle repair. Muscles need proper hydration to transport nutrients and flush out waste efficiently.

Something else is also critical for muscle recuperation: Sleep.

During the deepest stage of sleep, the body releases a chemical called growth hormone, produced by the pituitary gland. Growth hormone helps repair the tiny tears in your muscles, build new muscle and replenish the energy the muscles require to function. Without enough sleep, this process slows down, which actually makes your muscles weaker and more prone to injury.

Rest is not only vital to repair your body, it’s also a benefit for your mind. Whether it’s a good season or a bad one, months of lobstering can be a strain. There’s always something going wrong and generally whatever it is, it costs too much.

When your mind doesn’t get a chance to relax and recharge, stress can build up quickly. According to the Mayo Clinic, long-term stress can lead to physical problems like depression, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, and weight gain.

When the days are short and the nights are long, it’s time to rest. Really rest. Muscles, once they recuperate, are stronger and more resistant to the next round of hard work. That’s how they build strength and endurance. Your mind needs to rest as well. Take time this winter to wind down. You will be better for it come spring.

For more information about the value of rest and sleep, visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379.