Essential Connections-Rest

The need for rest and renewal is one of the most fundamental needs we have as humans. If you haven’t noticed, it’s not possible to run at a breakneck pace ad infinitum. In our society of 24 hour drive thru’s and all night infomercials, it’s sometimes tough to remember that we really need downtime each day. And I’m not just talking about resting from physical activity, but mental activity as well. It’s all too easy to stop moving physically, but remain engaged mentally. This arrhythmic approach to life is doomed to failure. Sooner or later, you will have an “accident”, sickness, or other crisis that will force you to slow the heck down a little bit.

So instead, why not build some rhythms of disengagement and rest into your day? The first thing to monitor is your sleep. Most adults need six hours of interrupted sleep at a bare minimum, and many of us need much more than that. Just as important as quantity is quality. One way to ensure high quality sleep is to have a consistent bedtime and waking time. This is easier said than done, but very important. You should also stop drinking water about two hours before bedtime to minimize the midnight potty runs. Also beware of reading and watching TV in bed. These activities can confuse your brain, sending it signals to wake up instead of signaling it to sleep. There are many resources online for many tips on quality sleep in addition to these.

During the day, have set times when you disengage from whatever you are doing, and clear your head. If you work at a desk, walk around and visualize setting down everything you are carrying in your mind. I try to get outside a couple of times a day at least to connect with nature (more on connecting with nature in an upcoming post). For me, lunchtime is sacred as well. I try to have a book with me so I can shift gears away from work and renew my mind a bit. It also helps to break up the day and helps me gather the energy needed to accomplish my afternoon goals. If I’m feeling really tired or worn down, I take some time over lunch to listen to a guided meditation. Meditation is cool because, once you get good at it, you can shift your brain into a slower, rejuvenating brain wave cycle that has the same positive effects of sleep; it just happens more quickly.

Bottom line, honoring your body’s need for rest and renewal is one of the most fundamentally caring things you can do for yourself. It may take going against the grain and creating some new habits, but I think you’ll find the positive benefits of healthy rest habits are well worth the effort.