Welcome back to Just Curious, Strong Women’s weekly series exploring all the random health and fitness questions you’ve always wondered about but never got the answer to. 

This week, we’re exploring whether staying in bed all day at the weekend is bad even if you manage to clock up lots of steps throughout the week.

Hitting 10,000 steps a day may not be the do-or-die goal we once thought it was, but there’s no debating the fact that staying active throughout the day is incredibly important.

Time and time again, research has shown that walking more can have a transformative impact on our health in both the short- and long-term, with benefits ranging from improved cardiovascular health and better mental wellbeing to a reduced risk of conditions such as cancer and diabetes.

Saying that, there are times when all you really want to do is stay in bed and chill (or rot, as TikTok likes to call it). Rest is also incredibly important for both your mental and physical health – especially at the weekend, when we have time to shake off the stress of the week just gone.  

That raises the question: is it possible to get the best of both worlds? Can you bank some extra steps throughout the week to mitigate the impact of spending a day or two lounging around? Is that something you even need to ‘make up for’ in the first place? Or is being up on your feet simply something you do need to prioritise all seven days of the week? 

We put that conundrum to Amanda Place, a personal trainer and founder of the health and fitness coaching platform Sculptrition. 

“It’s natural to want to rest and relax after a busy week of physical activity, but it’s also important to consider the balance between activity and rest,” Place explains. There are, she adds, potential benefits and negatives to getting your steps done in the week and having a sedentary weekend.

The potential benefits:

1. Physical rest

While you can’t actually ‘catch up’ on sleep at the weekend, staying in bed and not setting an alarm can be a nice break from the physical rush of the week.

“Giving your body a chance to rest and recover can be beneficial, especially if you’ve been active throughout the week,” she says. “It allows muscles to repair and replenish energy stores, potentially reducing the risk of overuse injuries.”

2. Mental relaxation

In the same way that staying in bed can provide valuable physical rest, lounging around in the safe, comforting environment of your bed can give your brain a break, too.

“Taking time to relax can help reduce stress levels and promote mental wellbeing,” Place continues. “It can give you a chance to unwind, recharge and prepare for the upcoming week.”

3. Social connection

“Spending time on the sofa or in bed might provide an opportunity to connect with family or friends, whether it’s watching movies together or having conversations in a relaxed setting,” Place adds.

4. Avoid overtraining

Walking is a low-impact form of exercise, so it’s hard to push yourself too far when you’re simply pottering about. However, if you’re regularly clocking up over 20,000 steps every day, taking a break at the weekend is crucial to avoiding overtraining.

“Overtraining occurs when the body is subjected to more training stress than it can recover from, leading to fatigue, decreased fitness performance and increased risk of injury,” Place explains. 

The potential negatives:

1. Normalising a sedentary lifestyle

If you regularly stay in bed for one or two days at the weekend, it may become harder to get up and moving come Monday morning. Not moving for 24 or 48 hours at a time can also add up.

“Prolonged periods of inactivity can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, which is associated with various health risks such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.”

2. Slower fitness progress

If you’re looking to build fitness or strength, doing nothing for two days in a row every week could slow down your progress towards your goal. “Consistent physical activity helps maintain and improve cardiovascular health, muscular strength and endurance,” Place adds.

3. Disrupted sleep patterns

When it comes to your sleep, there’s such a thing as resting too much, Place explains.

“Spending excessive time lounging during the day can disrupt your sleep patterns, making it harder for you to fall asleep or stay asleep at night,” she says. “This can then impact your energy levels and productivity the following week, making it harder to stay consistent with physical activity.”

4. It could be a sign of something serious

Everyone loves a good lie-in, but if you feel the need to spend the weekend in bed every week, it could be a sign that something’s not right. If your job is causing your exhaustion, you might be dealing with burnout or a toxic workplace. And if your energy levels always seem to be low, it’s something worth bringing up with your GP.

As is the case with most things, the answer lies in finding a balance. If getting out for a walk is something you enjoy, then by all means get your steps in every day. But if your body craves rest, forcing yourself to pound the pavements time and time again won’t only leave you feeling exhausted, it will also make it harder for you to stay motivated.

Instead, try to hit somewhere in the middle. “Incorporating some light physical activity on the weekends, such as going for a leisurely walk, stretching or engaging in low-intensity exercises like yoga, can be beneficial as you don’t need to exert yourself too much,” Place says.

“If you use your weekends to fully rest, consider breaking up long periods of sitting by taking short breaks – even if it’s just for five minutes – to move around and stretch throughout the day.” 

Alternatively, if you struggle to fit in exercise during the week, the weekend can be a great opportunity to complete a full gym routine or get out for a long run.

At the end of the day, you want to avoid any extremes – whether that’s resting too much or moving too much. Staying active is important, as is giving your body time to recuperate. Finding a routine that balances the two – and enjoying it – should be the ultimate goal. 

Want to reap the benefits of walking yourself? Bring your friends and join us for a scenic half-marathon hike at the Strong Women Trek in Surrey Hills on Saturday 20 July. It’s the perfect way to tick off a mini-milestone in 2024 while enjoying a day of walking, fresh air and fun. Book your place here.

Images: Getty