Over the last few years, life has changed tremendously for all of us making the importance for rest paramount. These changes have negatively impacted our health and well-being. This is true for people of every age. Now more than ever it is important to fight for our mental and physical health. The amount of stress that people have has increased substantially over the past few years, causing lasting effects. Rest impacts our physical, social, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being.
The importance of rest can help us increase our memory, lower stress, create a healthy immune system, and much more. Many of us struggle with allowing ourselves to rest because of expectation and/or not having the time. Rest is not just getting enough sleep. Rest can also be different for every person. Lacking in rest can cause us stress, anxiety, depression, physical problems such as headaches, and much more.
The importance of rest:
When we allow our body to rest, it can heal and fight off infections and sickness.
- Less stress & Anxiety
The more we allow ourselves to rest and relax the body and mind, the less stressed out we will be.
- Less physical pain
Constantly being on the go can increase physical pain, but the more we take time to rest, the less pain our body will be in.
- Increased happiness/mood
When we feel grumpy, overwhelmed, or irritated, this is a big sign that we need to rest emotionally so that we can feel happy and less irritable.
When we have a proper amount of rest, we can be more in tune with what our body is telling us and become more mindful of our surroundings as well.
Types of rest that we need:
- Physical Rest
Physical rest can include a nap, doing yoga, a pedicure, going to the chiropractor, or getting a massage.
- Social Rest
Social rest can include not being around negative or demanding people, and instead being around individuals that give as much as you do and support others.
- Emotional Rest
Emotional rest can include working on not being a people-pleaser, taking the time for yourself, and being able to say no to others, or even expressing your own emotions by writing about them or talking to an individual such as a therapist.
- Mental Rest
Mental rest can be with meditation, taking time away from technology, spending more time with family or taking a mental health day to yourself.
- Spiritual Rest
This type of rest can be difficult for some people but can include being a part of something bigger such as volunteering, making food for a neighbor, planting a garden, or focusing on spiritual beliefs.
This all shows us that rest is much more than just sleep. Sleep is something we need and cannot survive without, while rest is something we must prioritize in order to address our physical, emotional, social, mental, and spiritual health and well-being. If we can make time for our everyday tasks, we should be making time for rest too. There is only so much that our body and mind can handle if we are starving it of the rest that it needs.
Focus on the benefits of rest and how you will be decreasing stress and anxiety, while also feeling happier emotionally and physically. Know the types of rest and which one is most crucial for you to address right now. Slowly start working on each form of rest weekly to see improvement and heal your mind, body, and soul. If you feel drained out and unhappy with where you are in life, reach out to a trained therapist for support.
