Why young athletes need rest days: the science behind recovery

More training doesn’t always mean better results. Whether your child is 7 or 18, rest is when the real progress happens.

Without enough recovery, young athletes risk injury, burnout and a loss of enjoyment. With it, they come back stronger, sharper and keener to play.

Rest isn’t time off. It’s part of the training.

Why rest matters

• Stronger bodies. Training causes tiny tears in muscles and tendons. Rest lets them rebuild stronger.
• Fewer injuries. Overuse problems like Sever’s disease (heel) and Osgood-Schlatter (knee) are common in young athletes. Read more in our injuries blog.
• Better motivation. A mental reset helps children stay engaged and enjoy their sport (Venter, 2012).
• Better sleep. Well-rested children do better in school and in sport (Rasch et al., 2013).

How much rest is enough?

As a guide, aim for:

• 1 full rest day a week, such as a relaxed walk.
• 1 active recovery day a week, such as swimming or stretching.
• 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night (Coel et al., 2022).

Parents set the tone. Build rest days into the routine and explain why they matter. You’ll protect your child’s health and help them love sport for years.

References

1. Coel, R.A., Pujalte, G.G.A., Applewhite, A.I., Zanslow, T., Cooper, G., Ton, A.N., Benjamin, H.J. (2022). Sleep and the Young Athlete. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10293556
2. Owens, J.A., Fernando, S., McGuinn, M. (2005). Sleep disturbance and injury risk in young children. Behav Sleep Med.
3. Rasch, B., Born, J. (2013). About sleep’s role in memory. Physiol Rev. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10503965
4. Venter, R.E. (2012). Role of sleep in performance and recovery of athletes: a review article. S. Afr. J. Res. Sport Phys. Educ. Recreat.