MyFitnessPal reports taking days off from your exercise routine will help you become a fitter, stronger, individual.

MyFitnessPal spoke to experts including Max Castrogaleas MA, CSCS, TSAC-F, EP-C, FMS, exercise physiologist at HSS, who explained what happens to the body during recovery days. “Even if you don’t feel sore after a challenging workout, your muscle tissue still sustains damage and needs to heal,” said Castrogaleas.

Like muscles, tendons and connective tissues also rebuild on recovery days. Castrogaleas noted, “Though you may not feel soreness in these tissues, the micro traumas they sustain during strenuous exercise can cause swelling you can’t see, which may leave your joints feeling tight and tender.”

Recovery days help with balancing out your hormones. Tough workouts can boost the production of cortisol (the stress hormone), as well as other adrenal hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine). “These hormones increase our heart rate and blood pressure so we feel a surge of energy when we need it,” said Castrogaleas.

Read the article at MyFitnessPal.com.