5 Reasons Active Men Need Theragun Relief for Recovery in Their 40s
Published:
Written by: Dr. Brittany Leboeuf, MS, PhD
Reviewed by Therabody Scientists: Tim Roberts, MSc; Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-EP
Staying active and pain-free as you get older may seem like a far-fetched goal, especially as a dad. Even when you do manage to stay active, you might start noticing that your body just doesn’t quite feel the same after a bad night of sleep, a strenuous workout, or carrying your toddler’s scooter for half of the family walk around the neighborhood (it seemed like a good idea at the time!)
Do you ever feel like you’re starting the day at 80% vs.100%? Like it takes you twice as long to recover after a good workout? Or that all the stress you carry throughout the day is sitting in your neck and shoulders?
This can be addressed by making recovery an essential part of your wellness routine, not a luxury you can afford to skip. If your life feels like a workout, you should start recovering like it is.
Here, we’ll share 5 reasons you should prioritize recovery, and how implementing Theragun® percussive massage therapy can help.
Millennial dad culture is changing the goals of health, wellness, and recovery
The current physical activity recommendations from the World Health Organization for adult men are to engage in at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (or equivalent combination) per week. Additionally, two or more days of muscle-strengthening activities are recommended with an emphasis on limiting sedentary time. [1]
The most recent data report that as men age, the rates of physical activity slowly drop, with only about 30% of millennial men meeting the physical activity guidelines, which is nearly 10% less than men ages 18-34. [2]
There are plenty of challenges that millennial dads face to meet these guidelines. You are managing time scarcity, burnout, and the tension between wanting to be highly involved with your children, while maintaining personal wellness.
If you are a millennial dad trying to stay healthy and active, you may also struggle to recover in a way that allows you to fully show up for yourself and your family. The key to is to find tools and strategies that fit this season of your life and make it easier to stay on track.
5 science-backed reasons Millennial Dads should prioritize recovery, and how Theragun Relief can help
Focusing on recovery might seem like “another thing” to worry about, but it’s an essential way to enable all your other wellness goals.
The Theragun Relief is a science-backed device that offers pain relief in an accessible design to fit into your daily routine.
Here are five reasons to prioritize recovery as a busy dad, and how Theragun Relief can help you feel good and continue showing up with pain-free energy.
#1 Your body takes longer to recover as you get older
As you get older, your body’s natural repair systems become less efficient. You may want to ignore these changes and continue doing the things you did in your 20s, but that decision will catch up with you eventually.
With age, you may notice:
- Loss of muscle mass: Muscle mass progressively decreases with age, which can result in fewer cells contributing to muscle recovery. [3]
- Inflammation: Which can contribute to prolonged soreness. [4]
- Reduced blood flow: Poor circulation, making recovery more challenging. [5]
While aging is inevitable, you can support your body’s recovery systems through products like the Theragun Relief.
Theragun Relief supports recovery and physical performance through various mechanisms such as:
- Increasing circulation: The rhythmic pulses enhance blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles while helping remove metabolic byproducts (a key part of the body’s repair process). [6]
- Releasing tight fascia: By gently mobilizing the connective tissue surrounding muscles, percussive therapy helps “loosen” stiff areas, improving flexibility and ease of movement. [7]
- Stimulating the nervous system: The rapid percussion activates sensory receptors in the muscles that signal the brain to relax the area. This reduces tension and improves range of motion. [8]
- Relieving pain perception: Much like a traditional massage, percussive therapy can prompt the body to release endorphins. Endorphins act as natural painkillers and can help ease soreness and promote overall relaxation. [9]
RELATED READ: Theragun: What It Is, How It Works, and Why You Need It for Better Performance & Recovery
#2 Sleep is your greatest offense
The days of trying to do the most on the least amount of sleep are in your past. You likely prioritize healthy sleep habits, because they can help you achieve your other wellness goals.
While sleep is an important (and often difficult) area of health for parents, it should not be ignored. Regardless of how old your children are, you likely find yourself wanting better quantity (and quality) sleep.
A solid recovery regimen can help reduce sleep disruptions and improve the quality of your sleep.
A study of 73 adults showed that using a Theragun for 6 minutes before bed can help lull you to sleep:
- 87% of participants fell asleep faster (by an average of 4 minutes and 15 seconds)
- 70% of participants slept more efficiently (with less awakenings)
- 56% of participants improved their sleep score
Prioritizing consistent, high-quality sleep is one of the most effective ways to break the stress cycle and protect your long-term health.
RELATED READ: Improve your sleep with technology + lifestyle habits
#3 Stressing less supports overall health
Left unchecked, chronic stress can trap your body in a persistent state of overstimulation. Over time, this takes a toll on your mental and physical health, contributing to higher blood pressure, tension, physical pain, and an overall lack of recovery. Ultimately, it can dramatically raise your risk of serious chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. [10]
Percussive therapy can promote relaxation and stress relief. It uses rapid bursts of pressure that reach your muscle tissue, stimulating the nervous system to release endorphins (aka feel-good hormones) that naturally reduce stress. [9, 11]
Even just a few minutes of percussive therapy can help you pause and reach a more mindful state. In fact, the Theragun has been scientifically shown to improve heart rate variability (a key marker of resilience to stress) by 25% after just one session.
When you repeat the use of percussive therapy over time, your mind and body can become more resilient and adapt to stressful situations.
RELATED READ: Let It Out or Let It Go? The Science of Stress (Plus Tools That Can Help)
#4 Proper recovery helps relieve aches and pains so you can stay active with your kids
Whether you have a highly physical job or a position that involves a lot of sitting, your body takes a daily beating. Over time, this leads to muscle tightness, restricted blood flow, and built-up tension, which can gradually limit your mobility and energy.
By incorporating Theragun Relief sessions on areas that carry tension such as your lower back/shoulders/hips, you can reduce tension, improve blood flow, and maintain the mobility needed to be the active, hands-on dad your kids need.
Percussion therapy like the Theragun Relief has been shown in studies to increase blood circulation, decrease muscle soreness, and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by helping flush inflammatory byproducts. [12] It also helps lower perceived pain and stiffness by stimulating mechanoreceptors in the muscles, which can override pain signals to the brain. [9]
This means instead of pushing through nagging back pain or tight hips, you can stay strong and energetic to wrestle on the floor, carry your kids, play tag in the backyard, or coach their sports without your body holding you back. Prioritizing quick recovery sessions isn’t selfish — it’s what allows you to show up fully as the strong, present dad your family deserves.
RELATED READ: How to Use Theragun Mini Throughout Your Active Day
#5 Your wellness habits influence your family’s wellness habits
Demonstrating healthy behaviors for your family can change the trajectory of their health. Studies show that children with active parents are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors themselves. [13]
Similarly, the way you model recovery can influence your family. Recovered parents are able to show up with lower stress and more energy, which is modeled to children.
A device like Theragun Relief can be a part of your routine that your family sees. Whether you’re having movie night together, or hanging out in the backyard, the Theragun is the perfect recovery tool to keep around the house.
RELATED READ: Life Can Feel Like a Workout: Why You Should Recover Like It Is
Key takeaways:
- Modern dad life is busy, active, and physically demanding, so making time for recovery matters.
- As you age, recovery can take longer and look different because your body repairs itself more slowly, and your lifestyle adapts to career, family, and personal changes that may impact your wellness routines.
- Pairing Theragun Relief with good sleep, stress management, and a deep desire to stay healthy can help you stay ready for the demands of fatherhood.
- Prioritizing recovery helps you stay strong, energized, and present for your family.
References:
- WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour
- Physical Activity Among Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020
- Contribution of muscle satellite cells to sarcopenia
- Controlling Inflammation Improves Aging Skeletal Muscle Health
- The effects of aging and activity on muscle blood flow
- Age-Associated Differences in Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage
- Mathematical analysis of the flow of hyaluronic acid around fascia during manual therapy motions
- Comparison of Interventional Strategies to Improve Recovery after Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Fatigue
- Massage increases oxytocin and reduces adrenocorticotropin hormone in humans
- Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases
- The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention
- The Effects of Massage Guns on Performance and Recovery: A Systematic Review
- The Impact of Parental Behaviors on Children’s Lifestyle, Dietary Habits, Screen Time, Sleep Patterns, Mental Health, and BMI: A Scoping Review
