When was the last time you “checked out” of your busy life for a moment or, better yet, a day or a week to just rest and relax?
Do you regularly get a “good night’s” sleep?
If you’re like most people, it’s been a while. Yet all of us need rest–it’s a biological need. Really, I wouldn’t lie to you about this.
Did you notice that I asked you about your sleep and your ability to rest and relax?
That’s because sleep is only one form of rest. It’s known as passive rest, and sleep is the most important component. Zoning out in front of the TV, for example, is also a form of passive rest, but it’s not nearly as good for you as sleep, so don’t go patting yourself on the back for all the hours spent in front of the tube.
So if you want to relax and reap some health benefits while you’re doing it, then you’d be much better off pursuing the other form of rest–active rest.
Active rest consists of activities that restore and rebuild. These could be anything from meditation, spiritual practices, social activities with friends and family (Do I need to say non-stressful ones here?) and physical exercise.
Unfortunately, most of us aren’t getting enough of any of these.
During rest the body “rebuilds, renews, rewires, and recreates itself,” according to Matthew Edlund, author of The Power of Rest. Among other things, if we learn to sleep and rest well, we are better able to control our weight, learn better, remember more, live longer and experience more pleasure. Who wouldn’t want that?
Without it, we suffer serious consequences. Just imagine the opposite of the list above and many more nasty things. Who wants that?
It’s time for us to own up to the fact that we are not machines and we cannot run 24/7 without any wear and tear. We need to accept the fact that there are serious consequences to our physical health and mental state if we don’t provide our bodies with adequate rest.
So if we want a long, manageable, and meaningful life–one filled with enthusiasm, excitement, and energy–then we have to get serious in our pursuit of rest.
Go ahead. You have my permission to take to turn off your smart phone, shut down your computer, schedule a vacation, spend some time with friends, and yes, even take a nap or two this weekend.
Make it a habit to make time for some “downtime” every day. -themanageablelife.com
