It’s the middle of December. Many of us are exhausted. We are stressed out by the extra tasks we think must be done at this time of the year. You know, planning gift exchanges, meal prep, holiday baking, decorating, cleaning, and parties! It’s stressful stuff! There is a sense of urgency in the air during the holiday season. Rest is even more beneficial than ever. Unfortunately, rest is also frowned upon.
You are likelier to hear, “Hey, how are you?” “Argh, I’m so busy! I have so many things to get done, and I don’t have enough time.” And the speaker drones on and on about all the activities they are involved in. You probably won’t hear: “Hey, how are you resting these days?” “Oh, I intentionally take 10 minutes a day to check in with myself and just be present.” Ha! Can you imagine?
Our culture values busyness. Valuing rest goes against the grain on so many levels. We base success on productivity and action. Productivity doesn’t seem to matter as much as the appearance of productivity. Fill those seats! Quantity over quality.
The pandemic forced us to take a huge step back and examine our lifestyle. Suddenly emphasis was placed more on quality and less on quantity. Think about it. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t find the same number of activities to keep us busy. We signed up for many online classes and webinars. So, we learned to adapt. We, dare I say, relaxed. We rested.
Now that I am retired, I still find a lot of emphasis placed on being busy. It’s not the same type of busyness, the one with deadlines and reports or driving kids all over the place. It’s more an individual busyness. What did you do today? How many volunteer hours do you log? Once I mentioned casually that I don’t play pickleball while we are in Mexico. In horror, a friend asked, “Well, what do you do then?” LOL. Well, we walk. We read. We talk. We visit with people. We explore. We take it easy. Just like the Eagles tell you to do. (Besides, the pickleball court is out of the city limits and we don’t drive.)
It’s interesting. If you google “rest and older adults,” you get a bunch of results on the benefits of sleep and aging. But rest doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping. To me, rest is taking a break from your daily activities and just being. Sure, it may take the form of a nap (although naps tend to make it very hard for me to sleep at night), or it may be a 10-minute meditation. It could also be changing your activity and doing something that doesn’t require much thought or energy. Like colouring. Listening to a song. Yoga. Staring off into the vast unknown.
Although rest and sleep do have the same goals, like restoration and relaxation, they are two different processes. Rest is when the physical and mental abilities of our body are slowed down to get rid of stress, tiredness, etc. It is not a deep nor altered state of consciousness, and we are fully aware of our surroundings. Sleep is a deep relaxation followed by altered states of consciousness and inactivity of the brain and body. We are no longer aware of our surroundings.
Rest and sleep can be best friends. Both are important and not to be taken lightly. Rest gives immediate relief from mental or physical exertion. It allows us to recharge so that we have the energy to keep going through the day. Sleep takes it a step further and provides deep restoration that is important for long-term well-being.
Are you someone who gets up in the morning and hits the ground running? Do you ever take a break to just be in the moment? This does not include scrolling or watching TV! You may be experiencing some of the negative effects of a lack of rest and not even realize it. Pay attention to energy levels, the ability to concentrate, sensitivity to sounds, people, the environment, etc. Apparently, there are seven types of rest. I won’t go into them all because it is an easy Google (see links below). But, to name them, they are physical rest, mental rest, spiritual rest, emotional rest, social rest, sensory rest, and creative rest. Can you put all of them in one sentence? Just kiddin’.
The first step is to recognize that you need more rest. All it takes is a few minutes each day to get that. But you may have to set your intentions as allowing or scheduling rest periods is not something. Be present. While you’re waiting in line, at a red light, or even waiting for your coffee to warm up in the microwave, don’t plan the rest of your day. Relax. Be present. Take 5 minutes to stare out the window and just breathe. If you need to, schedule 10 minutes for rest. Remember coffee breaks? They were inserted into workdays for a purpose. (I vaguely remember having scheduled coffee breaks. Most of my career was spent with a cup of coffee at my desk.) Don’t feel bad for planning that rest time.
The next time someone asks me what I’m doing with my retirement, I’ll tell them. “I’m staying active. I’m also prioritizing rest and well-being.” So, what if that raises a few eyebrows? I feel less stressed just thinking about it.
Take care of yourself, especially during the holidays. Rest up! Reclaim your time. After all, where would Santa be if he didn’t prioritize rest in his downtime?
Interesting Reads & Things
Sleep Alternatives: How to Rest and Recharge Without Traditional Sleep
The 7 types of rest that every person needs |
7 Types of Rest to Fight Fatigue: A Webinar with Saundra Dalton-Smith, M.D.
Wanderings Art 