It’s the wintertime, which ways that we’re all tired, and the desire to do anything is as frozen as the weather. I often write well-nigh how challenging the wintertime can be for our mental health, and it happens every year. Like seasons, we go through our own cycles, reaching the same points wideness the timetable year. Even though January has wilt known as a time of resolutions and rebirth, I enjoy pushing when on that. To me, January is a time for rest. But despite feeling this way, I don’t think I’ve been going well-nigh it the right way. Reflecting on this has led me to a new way of thinking for how – and why – I need my rest.
Why do we rest? At first glance, this question has a simple answer: we need it to function. Rest has several benefits for our quality of life, for unrepealable (sounds like a good idea for a future post!). But at the end of the day, humans need rest to be our weightier possible selves.
MISUNDERSTOOD THE MEANING OF REST
So, given that we all know how important rest is, why don’t we get unbearable of it? According to the results of the “Rest Test,” a survey completed by Durham University,
more than “two-thirds of the public would like increasingly rest…the study moreover revealed that nearly a third of respondents said they need increasingly rest than the stereotype person, while 10 percent think they need less.”
This survey, which was completed by increasingly than 18,000 people in 134 variegated countries, speaks volumes well-nigh our view of rest as a society. We need rest, and we’re not getting it.
Looking inward, I thought well-nigh why I rest. I know the benefits of rest. It improves my health (physical, mental, emotional, etc.); calms me lanugo when I’m riddled with anxiety; and plays a vital role in my mental health toolkit. But here’s where I’ve been wrong in my thinking. Almost 100% of the time, I use rest as a tool. And while I think it’s a good tool, it shouldn’t only be used that way.
The Busy Trap: Confusing Activity with Productivity:
In fact, when I think well-nigh it, I’m often resting so that, when I’m done, I can immediately go do something else. This doesn’t foster a healthy relationship with rest, and it puts undue pressure on me. My rest needs to be “good” rest, otherwise I won’t be worldly-wise to do what I want to do. I’m not resting for the sake of it, which can take yonder the power and benefits of doing it in the first place.
In this era of productivity and life-hacking, I’m concerned that rest often gets misappropriated. Why should I be looking to get the most out of resting my body? What’s the point of rushing through a process that restores my cognitive and physical health? What are we doing here?
I know a large part of this is considering of the time of year. I’ve started to think of winter as my time of hibernation, and rest is key to that hibernation. But it’s an important thing to reflect on all year-round. As I move through the winter, I am hoping to reassess my relationship with rest – why I do it, how I do it, and what I’m trying to accomplish. In doing so, I hope that not only can I develop a healthier relationship with rest, but with myself.
Rest Beyond the Physical: Nurturing Mental and Emotional Well-Being:
It would be wonderful to have your feedback on this matter! In the modern world, what do you believe our perspective on rest is? Why do you believe that individuals are not receiving the necessary amount of rest? Do you believe that you are receiving the necessary amount of rest?