The importance of rest
We have been thinking a lot lately about how important rest is. The benefits of rest are often overlooked, but it really is so important for our everyday life/function and for our mental health.
Importance of relaxation, rest and sleep
So many of us are caught in the grind of work, family responsibilities and ongoing stress. Often, we only allow ourselves to truly rest on holidays or vacation. However, it’s so important to prioritize adequate rest and quality sleep in your everyday life. Rest and sleep are two different things, but both are equally important to your mental, emotional and physical health. Plus, prioritizing rest can actually improve your quality of sleep.
Rest can be difficult to define because it can look different for everyone. Rest is any behavior aimed at increasing physical or mental well-being. It can be active, such as going for a walk outside, or passive, such as taking 10 minutes to sit down and breathe deeply. Regardless of how you choose to rest, these daily behaviors can help you recover and recharge from physical and mental effort. That’s why better rest is linked to better physical and mental health.
Sleep, on the other hand, is a body-mind state in which individuals experience sensory detachment from our surroundings. Sleep is an essential function of the body and impacts every system from our cognitive function to immune health. Quality sleep can help us reset, recover and recharge. It’s absolutely vital to brain function, memory, concentration, immune health and metabolism. Unlike rest, sleep is something your body cannot function without. In fact, if you are sleep deprived, your body will force you to sleep, no matter what you’re in the middle of.
Have you ever felt like you can't keep up with your daily tasks and deadlines? What's even more challenging is maintaining your health, your job, and other responsibilities amongst uncertainties or moments of overwhelm—leaving you little to no time for rest.
However, rest is a fundamental part of success, health, and happiness. There are many distractions in this digital world, and always something (or someone) requiring your attention. No matter what your schedule or task list may look like, resting and unplugging is vital to your long-term health. Here's why.
Heals Your Body
The human body is built to thrive in a series of short sprints. This is why taking a break—even only for a few minutes—can offer you the refresh you need to persevere through your day. Breaks are brief cessations to work, physical exertion, or emotional stress. They promote mental health, boost creativity, increase productivity, promote well-being, reduce stress, improve mood, and strengthen relationships.
The amount of rest required depends on your individual needs. If you didn't sleep well, feel angry, or stressed, you may require more frequent breaks.
Adequate rest helps your body activate its inner healing cascade and return to a state of homeostasis. This is when your body can repair and recover.
Reduces Stress
Stress is an intrinsic aspect of life. For some, it may act as a stimulant, but for others, it feels more like a burden. Most definitions of stress invoke an internal or external challenge, disturbance, or stimulus, the perception of a challenge or physiologic response. Chronic stress suppresses your immune system and increases your risk of disease.
Rest and relaxation tips
If left untreated, long-term stress can cause chest pain, headaches, digestive issues, anxiety, depression, changes in sexual desire and inability to focus. It may not seem like a big deal to skip relaxation in your daily routine. However, there are several benefits to daily rest and relaxation:
reduced stress and anxiety
improved mood
decreased blood pressure
chronic pain relief
improved immune health
stronger cardiovascular system
So, how can you better prioritize rest? Find small ways in which you can incorporate rest and relaxation into your daily routine. We make time every day to eat, take our kids to school, do errands and go to work. Why should rest be any different? Start by finding a relaxation technique that works for you. This could be meditating, practicing yoga, walking outside, listening to music, reading a book, taking a bath or any combination of these things. When planning out your daily routine, find a consistent time to rest. For example, you could take a relaxing bath before bed, practice meditation each morning or go for a short walk during your lunch break at work.