Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reminded of something we often forget when life gets busy: recovery needs time.

So many of us live in “push through” mode:

• “just one more thing”
• “I’ll rest later”
• “I should be stronger”
• “I don’t have time”
• “I need to be productive”

And I genuinely understand it. There will always be periods when life is busy, and we need to keep going. But our capacity is not unlimited, and recovery is an important part of how the body adapts to physical and emotional demands.

How stress can affect the body

Stress is not only something we experience emotionally. It’s accompanied by physiological responses throughout the body. Short periods of stress are a normal part of life, but when stress continues for a long time, it can affect sleep, behaviour, mood and physical health. In everyday life, people may notice fatigue, disturbed sleep, increased muscle tension, digestive symptoms or greater sensitivity to pain. Stress does not necessarily cause these symptoms on its own, and they can have many different explanations, but it may contribute to how we feel and how well we recover.

One thing I hear quite often is, “I’m exhausted, but I can’t switch off.”

A patient may lie down on the treatment table, and I will say, “Let your shoulders drop. Unclench your jaw.” Quite often they laugh and say, “I didn’t even realise I was doing that.” Sometimes we become so accustomed to carrying tension that we stop noticing it.

Sleep and recovery

Sleep supports many important restorative processes in the body. It plays a role in immune function, inflammatory regulation, cognitive function, emotional well-being. Research also shows a close relationship between sleep and pain, although that relationship can work in both directions: pain can disturb sleep, while poor sleep may make pain more difficult to manage. That doesn’t mean we need to pursue “perfect sleep”; worrying about getting exactly eight hours every night can create another source of pressure. It’s about recognising sleep as an important part of recovery rather than treating it as wasted time.

Stress can influence healing

There is also evidence that psychological stress can influence wound healing. Research has identified several possible pathways, including changes in physiological stress responses as well as indirect effects through sleep and health behaviours. Rehabilitation is not always about doing more. Training, exercise and progressive loading matter, but so do adequate recovery and a programme that matches what a person can realistically tolerate.

What recovery can look like in real life

Rest is not necessarily about spending an entire day on the sofa. Sometimes it means adjusting what you do to your current energy and capacity. On a low-energy day, instead of choosing between doing absolutely nothing and completing your usual full workout, you might take a short walk, do a few minutes of gentle mobility or complete a smaller amount of your rehabilitation exercises.

Breathing exercises may also help some people slow down and relax. There is no need to follow one exact breathing pattern. A few minutes of comfortable, slower breathing can be enough if it feels helpful. Pacing can be useful too; adjusting the amount and intensity of activity so that you can stay active without repeatedly pushing yourself to exhaustion and then needing long periods to recover.

None of this means avoiding activity or becoming afraid of normal physical stress. Our bodies need movement and appropriate challenge in order to adapt. The aim is to find a balance between activity and recovery.

If pain, fatigue or repeated flare-ups are making it difficult to return to activity, remember that rehabilitation should be adjusted around your current capacity and progressed gradually as things improve.

Warm regards,
Magda

The information shared on this blog is for general education only and is not a substitute for individual assessment, diagnosis or medical advice.

References and further reading

Feuth, T. et al. (2024). Interactions between sleep, inflammation, immunity and infections: A narrative review.

Finan, P. H., Goodin, B. R. and Smith, M. T. (2013). The association of sleep and pain: an update and a path forward.

Gouin, J.-P. and Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2011). The impact of psychological stress on wound healing.

Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G. and Siegel, S. D. (2005). Stress and health: psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants.