A recent Ted Talk made me realize I’m just not getting enough rest!! Rest and sleep are important parts of a self-care practice. Recognizing the importance of both in our lives – and making time for each – is a great way to manage stress.
For those who log 8-9 hours of sleep each night, you may believe you are fully ‘rested.’ But the reality is that most of us are missing out on the ‘rest’ we desperately need. The result is we’re left feeling chronically tired and burned-out.
So, how do we incorporate more rest into our lives?
Get physical rest, which can be passive or active.
Passive physical rest includes sleeping and napping, while active physical rest means restorative activities such as yoga, stretching and massage therapy that help improve the body’s circulation and flexibility.
Schedule mental rest.
Schedule short breaks every two hours throughout your workday; these breaks can be a quick walk around the house, office or block or maybe make yourself a cup of tea and take time to sip it.
Tune into sensory rest in a Zoomed-out world.
Bright lights, computer screens, and multiple virtual conversations can overwhelm our senses. To counter it, look out the window and fix your eyes on a tree in the distance for a minute. And don’t forget to intentionally unplug from electronics at the end of every day.
Rest can be creative.
Turn your work or study space into a place of inspiration and creative rest by displaying images of places you love and works of art that speak to you.
Finally, we all need a little spiritual rest.
To find this type of rest, engage in something greater than yourself and add prayer, meditation, or community engagement to your daily routine.
To help you incorporate more ‘rest’ into your life, YWCA St. Paul invites you to join us for restorative yoga sessions with Marjorie D. Grevious. These weekly ‘rest’ breaks will be held Mondays in March.
- Mar 15, 2021 04:30 PM
- Mar 22, 2021 04:30 PM
- Mar 29, 2021 04:30 PM
