Many of you know that in December I tested positive for COVID-19. It’s been quite a journey of recovery ever since, and though I’m not out of the woods just yet, I am grateful to be making progress each day.
One thing that having the virus taught me was the importance of rest. Prior to getting COVID, I operated at a crazy-fast pace, often bouncing from one activity to another and back again without allowing myself any down time in between. Being ill forced me to slow down in ways I never have and has been key to my healing process.
But you don’t have to be sick to need rest! We all need to make rest (and sleep) a priority in our lives both for our mental and physical health to stay strong. Read on for the reasons why and how to shift your focus to develop healthy patterns of rest in your daily life.
What Happens Without Rest
If you’re someone who struggles with insomnia or other sleep disorders, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that over 50 million Americans struggle for restful sleep right along with you—if we don’t get this in check, we’ll soon be a nation of zombies! Seriously, though, this is of great concern because our bodies need that time to regenerate. Think of it like a reboot of your computer: When you unplug and plug back in, most of the time it will start right back up with no drama. Humans are like that too!
When we achieve Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, our body goes to work repairing cells, releasing molecules like hormones and proteins, and our brains get rid of waste and store new information. This helps support heart health, boosts our immune system, regulates insulin, balances our moods, and helps with weight maintenance and emotional well-being.
Even acts of rest that don’t involve sleep such as meditating, journaling, doing focused breathwork, or taking a hot bath can be very beneficial to us, both physically and mentally. Napping is also proven to increase alertness, improve memory and reduce overall fatigue.
Rest is Resistance
The innovative organization, The Nap Ministry, was founded to “help deprogram the masses from grind culture.” They believe sleep deprivation is a racial and social justice issue and offer services such as coaching, keynote speeches, immersive workshops, collective napping experiences and an intensive ‘Resurrect Rest School’ gathering place to further their mission.
Founder Tricia Hersey draws on her 20 years of experience as a teaching artist, community activist and arts-integrated curriculum developer to create performance art, sacred space installations for napping and immersive experiences to promote the #restisresistance movement. I highly recommend checking out their website and offerings.
The Spoon Theory
Sometimes it helps to keep track of our capacity so we don’t overdo it and ensure we get enough rest to make it through the day. One of the most helpful techniques I was recently introduced to is The Spoon Theory. It was developed by Christine Miserandino to communicate her capabilities for routine daily activities while suffering chronic pain caused by Lupus.
Basically, you start with a certain number of ‘spoons’ per day and allot one for each activity you accomplish (or set out to). These can be as simple as getting out of bed or taking a shower. When you’ve used up all your energy spoons, it’s time to let your body rest.
The tool is not just helpful for those who suffer from chronic pain disorders, but also can be applied to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder or simply utilized by anyone who faces a hectic schedule.
Mindfulness
Another great way to put your body at rest is to practice mindfulness. This is defined as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”
Common ways to achieve mindfulness include meditation, coloring, quiet walks in nature, prayer/spiritual rituals and yoga—basically anything that allows you to be in-the-moment, relaxing and fully participating in the activity in which you’re engaged.
Resources for Rest
The Master Shift offers a library of free, on-demand meditations you can access anytime. Just Color offers free coloring pages for adults. The Cut features a list of free online yoga classes to try. And you can keep up with The Nap Ministry movement on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
What are your secrets for getting good rest? Share what’s worked best for you in the comments section.
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Photo credits: PIRO4D/Pixabay
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