Five Remedies that'll Help Reduce Muscle Fatigue
Maybe you’ve just started going to the gym. Perhaps you haven’t been sleeping well. Or maybe you’ve had to use your muscles more than usual. In any case, it’s important to know what to do to reduce muscle fatigue so you don’t have to spend the whole day in pain.
What causes muscle fatigue?
Sometimes, the alarm will go off and it feels like you can’t get out of bed. When you try, any movement may feel impossible and requires a lot of energy. Muscular fatigue isn’t always caused by a bad movement or overly strenuous effort.
Sometimes, it may be due to something known as “chronic fatigue syndrome“, which mainly affects women. Another cause is the weakening of the immune system or even certain diseases like muscular dystrophy or inflammatory myopathy.
Of course, we can’t ignore the possibility of arthritis and osteoarthritis, because they can also cause muscle fatigue. Women who have gone through or that are going through menopause may not have enough calcium in their bodies. The lack of this mineral stimulates muscle contraction and can cause pain or fatigue.
Read more about Muscle Cramps: Learn to Treat Them at Home
How to reduce muscle fatigue
If muscle fatigue is caused by exercise or by strenuous effort, it’s important that you give your muscles time to rest and recover.
You should wait between 24 and 48 hours before you train again. During that time, try to sleep well and don’t perform any strenuous physical activities. Instead of working out, try stretching your muscles for 15 seconds while you breathe.
When you have muscle fatigue from training, you can try the ice and heat technique for 10 minutes. This will work if there isn’t any inflammation. However, if you do have inflammation, it’s best to just apply the ice.
Food is also very important to help you reduce muscle fatigue: eat foods that include complex proteins, such as legumes, dairy, and meats. That way, you’ll be consuming the amino acids that you’ll need to recover. And, of course, don’t forget about hydration. As you’ve probably read before, you’ll want to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day.
Home remedies to reduce muscle fatigue
It is said that the following remedies we’re going to tell you about can help you fight muscle fatigue and feel better.
Remember that home remedies don’t work by themselves. Therefore, they must be included in a healthy lifestyle.
1. Oatmeal-banana-honey shake
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 3 tsp. of honey
- 1 c. of oatmeal
Preparation
- Soak the oatmeal in warm water for a few minutes
- Then, put them in the blender along with the banana and honey
- Blend the ingredients until you have a smooth cream
- Enjoy immediately
2. Spinach-melon-grape shake
This is the perfect drink for muscle fatigue and to give your body a boost. It combines healthy ingredients, which doesn’t just offer nutrients to your body, but also some fiber.
Ingredients
- 10 grapes
- A bundle of spinach
- 1 c. of water
- 1 1/2 c. of melon
Preparation
- Wash the spinach well
- Cut the melon into small pieces and then add all of the ingredients to the blender
- Drink it in the morning on an empty stomach
3. Ginger tea
Ginger tea is often consumed to relieve stomach pain, nausea, and other discomforts. Now, did you know that you can also consume it as an energizing refreshment?
Ingredients
- 1 c. of water
- 1 slice of ginger root or 3 tsp. of chopped ginger
- Optional: sliced lemon or orange
Preparation
- Firstly, add the ginger to a cup of water and bring it to a boil
- Let it boil for 10 minutes
- Remove the ginger and drink the infusion while it’s still hot, drink it before your bedtime
4. Ginseng tea
For many years, ginseng tea was recommended to improve memory, since it was attributed to stimulating properties in this sense. And according to a study published in 2003, in general terms, ginseng “stimulates the central nervous system with a general tonic effect, increases non-specific resistance to diseases together with an anti-stress action”.
Ingredients
- 1 c. of water
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginseng root
- Optional: 5 tsp. of honey, lemon juice
Preparation
- Firstly, grind one gram of the root and mix it with a cup of boiling water
- Then, after letting it sit for five minutes, drink it as hot as possible
- Finally, you can sweeten it with a touch of honey
Read about the Seven Benefits of Maca Root for Women
5. Maca powder
Maca is another root that’s originally from South America. It has energizing properties and a large vitamin B contribution. You can get it a lot of different ways, but we recommend using maca powder. This powder can be added to either a fruit juice or toast with cheese or a smoothie.
- To take advantage of its benefits, you should consume between 1 and 3 tablespoons a day
- If you consume it daily, skip one day a week
Talk to your doctor
Muscle fatigue requires good hydration and rest. However, the latter shouldn’t be overdone, as it’s advisable to avoid remaining completely still because it could aggravate the problem.
Therefore, you should take into account that if muscle fatigue is frequent, it’s advisable to consult a doctor. They’ll be able to indicate the reason and what you can do to combat it adequately.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Enoka, Roger & Duchateau, Jacques. (2008). Muscle fatigue: What, why and how it influences muscle function. The Journal of physiology. 586. 11-23. 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.139477.
- Steen J. (2016). Try these foods and tips to help avoid muscle cramps. The Huff Post [Online] Avaiable at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/06/01/try-these-foods-and-tips-to-help-avoid-muscle-cramps_a_21387932/
