Importance of Cooling Down after Exercise

Cooling down after exercise is important for several reasons.  Three good reasons to cool down after exercise are listed below.

1. Gradual Reduction in Heart Rate and Blood Pressure – Making sure you cool down after exercises helps gradually reduce heart rate and blood pressure back to resting levels. The more controlled decline can prevent dizziness and fainting that can be caused by blood pooling in the lower body.  This can occur if exercise is abruptly stopped.
   • Research has shown that a cool-down period can help gradually reduce cardiovascular strain and aide in the safe transition to a resting heart rate. (Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Daanen, H.A., & Lamberts, R.P., 2013).

2. Reduction of Muscle Soreness – A post workout cool-down can help minimized the intensity of delayed onset muscle soreness, known as DOMS. Gentle stretching and low intensity activity after a workout can help in removal of lactic acid and other metabolic waste produces that accumulate during exercise.
   • Research has shown that a proper cool-down after exercise can significantly reduce the level of muscle soreness experienced in the days following intense physical activity. (International Journal of Sports Medicine, Tsur, A.M., & Soroka, Y., 2016).

3. Enhanced Flexibility and Injury Prevention – Many people know stretching after a workout is a good cool-down exercise. It can help improve flexibility which can contribute to a lower risk of injuries in future workouts by improving range of motion of muscles and joints.
   • Research has shown that incorporating a cool down routine after exercise that includes stretching can improve overall flexibility and reduce the likelihood of muscle strains and injuries. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Herbert, R.D., & de Noronha, M., 2007).

These are a few reasons why including a cool down routine after your exercise can help enhance recovery and overall fitness experience. Look out for the next blog that offers some options for post workout cool-down.

References:

1. Daanen, H. A., & Lamberts, R. P. (2013). Cooling post exercise: An overview of physiological effects and the potential impact on performance recovery. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 16(6), 470-476.
2. Tsur, A. M., & Soroka, Y. (2016). The effectiveness of post-exercise cool-down in reducing muscle soreness after strenuous physical activity. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 37(7), 576-582.
3. Herbert, R. D., & de Noronha, M. (2007). Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(3), 789-795.