Your Brain and Your Body Need REST
As it feels like things are getting back to normal – or more normal than they have been the past 2+ years – it may feel like you just need to go go go! After 26 months of lockdown, I know that I definitely feel like I need to get out and do things! Stuff I haven’t been able to do in a long time. It’s time to get back into the grind – and Love. Every. Minute. Of. It.
But I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, “Now may be the time for more rest than ever.”
I know it may sound counterintuitive. I know it may sound weird. It may even sound kind of wrong.
But think about this: A study by the American Cancer Society surveyed almost 2400 adults.
42% of adults reported mild to moderate psychological distress – up from 32% in 2018. Emotions can slip into anxiety and depression when those emotions are acknowledged and resolved after a short period of time. They can linger…
And linger…
And linger…
And there has definitely been a lot of lingering emotions for me over the past two years. For you it may be from being a caretaker or a parent, or trying to work from home, or being an essential worker.
Now… there is a mountain of research that shows how important sleep is for our mental and physical health. We’ve all heard about needing 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
But sleep is only one component of downtime.
And if the brain is in a constant stress-related state, sleep may not actually be restful. Rather, rest is a state of being in the present moment – to stop doing and start just being.
And there’s a lot of evidence for how important this is for us.
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang of USC argues that when we rest, our brain is using that time to affirm our identities, edit our behavior and pivot reflection away from the external world into ourselves. The mind consolidates memories both when we’re resting and asleep – and uses these experiences to inform our future actions.
So, in a time when stress has been super high and we’ve had a lot of downtime without rest, it’s more important than ever to take a step back.
Here are a few tips to get started:
Get curious: Reflect on why you’re always on the go. Look at the thoughts and feelings you have when you’re resting versus being productive. Do you tie being busy to success?
Rest is it’s own form of productivity: Try to get in the mindset that rest (whether mental or physical) is not time wasted. It may feel counterintuitive at first, but feeling good about rest helps you in the long run.
Intention, intention, intention: Be intentional about how you rest. If you have difficulty letting go, set aside 10 minutes at the same time each day to just shut everything out. By scheduling your rest time, you’re making it a priority.
Look at your surroundings: Find a space that makes you feel calm and relaxed. Is that your bed or your favorite porch chair? Be mindful of what you feel most at ease. Maybe play some relaxing music or make sure your space is free of clutter. Physical clutter = mental clutter.
Change the narrative and practice acceptance: Even with scheduling “you” time, the mental block we have around productivity won’t change overnight. It takes time and a change in self-talk, a change in what you value. Accept that you won’t be perfect 100% of the time.
Decide what rest looks like: You don’t have to sit on a pillow and meditate to rest! It’s more about anything that will help you let go of the urge to do things all the time forever! May journaling helps you relax or a nice walk! It’s about finding what works for you.
So… yes, we could just go, go, go! Or we could take the time to take a step back and reflect. To shut our brains off and pivot to new ways to rest, new ways to be.
<3 The Recharged Performance Therapy Team
References
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/10/health/pandemic-anxiety-depression-tips-wellness/index.html
https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-really-rest#5