Article
Post-Workout & Muscle Recovery Tips
Post-Workout & Muscle Recovery Tips
Post-Workout & Muscle Recovery Tips
You may know it’s essential to have a multifaceted wellness routine including cardio, strength training, and stretching. But unless you’ve worked with a professional trainer, you may not realize the positive impact that cool-down and active and passive recovery can have on your body.
Post-workout recovery is equally important as getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and eating a balanced diet to reap the benefits of your hard work. In fact, you increase the risk of injury, and your performance can suffer if you don’t allow your body to rest and repair1.
WorldSprings is the ideal place to practice active recovery with gentle yoga classes or a soak in our restorative waters to treat tired muscles. When it’s time to get back at it, our supportive therapies will leave you feeling rejuvenated in both body and spirit.
How to Recover After a Workout
Eat Mindfully
Consuming a meal with both carbohydrates and at least 20–30g of lean protein within half an hour of exercise can help muscles recover and grow. Complete proteins that contain all nine essential amino acids are your best bets and include options like peanut butter on wheat bread, hummus with pita, brown rice and black beans, chicken, fish, or eggs, tofu and soybeans, and dairy like chocolate milk2.
Stay Hydrated & Replenish With Electrolytes
It’s no secret that dehydration causes many physical issues. If you don’t replace the fluids lost in a hard workout, you risk impairing your muscles’ ability to repair. Experts recommend at least 1.5L of water for every kg lost during exercise. Studies also show that cherry juice and electrolyte supplements can also improve recovery by reducing muscle damage, inflammation, and replenishing glycogen stores1.
Incorporate Light Exercise & Stretching
Adding 5–10 minutes of stretching and low-intensity cardio to the end of your workout helps lower your heart rate, prevents blood from pooling in your limbs, and decreases muscle tension3.
Embrace Active Recovery
After vigorous workout days, participate in low-impact exercise to help circulate waste products out of your system. A gentle yoga class in our wellness studio is an excellent option to prevent stiffness and support your recovery here at WorldSprings.
Treat Yourself to a Massage
Soft tissue therapies, like massage, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, inflammation, and fatigue as well as help you relax and enhance immune function. Add in lymphatic drainage for even more benefits. Aim for at least 20–30 minutes for maximum support.
Engage in the Healing Power of Balneotherapy
There are many therapeutic benefits of soaking in mineral water. Evidence shows that water alone stimulates metabolic activity, improves circulation, regulates hormone signaling, and reduces inflammation4. Warm water dilates the blood vessels, which increases blood flow and triggers the release of mood-boosting endorphins. Water that contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, lithium, and potassium have anti-inflammatory effects, improve immune function, lead to deeper and more restful sleep, and even alleviate skin conditions like eczema due to the sulfur content5.
WorldSprings offers four globally inspired areas with varying temperatures, regional inspirations, and mineral contents to support your recovery. Our Mineral Method circuits allow you to personalize your visit with therapeutic routines designed to support specific wellness goals.
Give Cold Water Immersion a Try
Easing into a 3–5 minute cold plunge available at three of our regions—Iceland and Italy, Japan and Korea, and Guatemala and Mexico—can help speed up your post-workout recovery by reducing pain, inflammation, and muscle tiredness1.
Nourish Yourself With a Sauna
Studies show adding 15–20 minutes of relaxing sauna time supports your workout by providing stress relief, boosting your heart health through better circulation and lower blood pressure, improving glucose regulation, easing muscle pain and joint stiffness, increasing collagen production and clearing the pores to give skin a healthy glow6, and possibly even aid in weight management by supporting metabolic activity and hormone regulation7.
Folks with certain pre-existing conditions like low blood pressure should consult a doctor first. Everyone should remember to listen to their body; at any sign of dizziness or discomfort, discontinue the practice.
Try Compression Therapy
With their intermittent inflation and release, compression boots improve lymphatic drainage, alleviate muscle fatigue and stiffness, reduce swelling, increase blood oxygenation and circulation, and support overall recovery and performance8 .
Now that you’ve learned a bit about what helps with muscle recovery, how WorldSprings supports you in your wellness journey, create a personalized circuit with our Mineral Method quiz and book a soak to access a world of amenities today.
Sources:
- Yetman, D. (16 April 2024). 14 Tips to Maximize Recovery. Healthline. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-recovery
- Fielding, S. (4 May 2024). These 5 things may help improve recovery after a tough workout. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/nutrition-fitness/these-5-things-may-help-improve-recovery-after-a-tough-workout/
- (18 May 2022). A Post-Workout Recovery Plan for Healthy Muscle Growth. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/strenuous-workouts-try-these-6-best-recovery-tips
- Haase, M. (21 February 2023). What is Balneotherapy, and Does It Work for Muscle Pain? Prevention. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://www.prevention.com/health/health-conditions/a42865088/balneology-for-muscle-pain/
- (29 November 2023). The Benefits of Hot Springs After a Hike. Evolution Expeditions. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://www.evolutionexpeditions.com/blog/the-benefits-of-hot-springs-after-a-hike
- Sweeney, E. and E. Benton. (27 November 2023). 10 Benefits of a Post-Workout Sauna (and, a Few Risks). Men’s Health. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://www.menshealth.com/health/a38071136/sauna-benefits/
- Benton, E. (5 May 2025). 10 Sauna Benefits For Your Mood, Skin, And Heart Health According to Doctors. Women’s Health. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a64653766/benefits-of-sauna/
Martens, A. (18 December 2023). Your Complete Guide to the Benefits of Compression Recovery. Prevention. Retrieved June 27, 2025, from https://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/g45912433/benefits-of-compression-recovery/
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