In today’s world, there is a sense of the world being at your fingertips. I mean that literally. You can check on who is doing what with whom. What was that actor’s name from that film, you know the one with the… You can check the weather, watch documentaries, check your bank balance, so on and so forth. As well as this, you can watch a movie recorded days or even weeks ago, stream live, order food to be delivered day or night. On top of this there is always something you need to speak to someone about. It is endless. We are switched on all the time.
I took a trip with family to Bali some years ago. Towards the end of the trip, my mum sashayed down to the pool one morning (she starts to grow in confidence when she has laughed a lot, tanned herself and inevitably purchased some brightly coloured clothes) and she actually gaped at my sibling and I. We were in a stunning resort in Seminyak, not looking at the blue water or stunning flowers that adorned the resort. We were not enjoying the incredible fresh fruit after breakfast or doing yoga or any number of things I would love to be doing right now. No. We were online and hooked up to the corporate world, to get the jump on what was happening back in the UK and Australia, so that when we got back we had a head start. I now cannot actually believe I took my laptop on holiday. The fact that I felt I needed to, shows just how badly I needed some rest.
Microsoft conducted a study in 2015 which demonstrated that more than two thirds of UK workers are regularly required to work outside of their official working hours. This leads to workers feeling continually emotionally stressed. Continually checking emails or working outside office hours can be both mentally draining and exhausting. A couple of years ago, that French government introduced legislation giving workers the ‘right to disconnect’. It aimed to counteract the work culture which is perpetually ‘on’.
Forbes magazine states that breaks are simply needed to replenish the brain’s energy. When there is not down time, intentional or otherwise, the brain cannot remain productive, formulate new ideas, create innovative solutions or give you ‘a-ha!’ moments of inspiration. When you push through for too long, or simply do not rest and give yourself quiet time you invite stress into the body, mind and spirit. The stress can be emotional, psychological and physical. Quiet restorative breaks can be just as key to long term health as those ‘wasted moments’ we used to have before the ever present technology pervading our society. Years ago people would stand in a supermarket queue for five mins and daydream, or walk a dog without a phone call. I recall sitting on buses watching people and making up stories about them (I still do that actually). These moments used to punctuate our day giving us mini-moments of repose. Essentially a refresh.
During downtime, the brain sorts through and consolidates mundane and important duties. When a person is not actively learning something new, the brain works to memorise principal or noteworthy information recently learned. In tandem, the brain rehearses recently learned skills and translates that into the ‘knowing’ element of the body. You may have heard the phrases and wondered the difference between ‘learning it’ and ‘knowing it in your body’. When does that happen? You guessed it. Downtime! Some people retreat and live in silence practicing yoga or going walking. They claim the mind sorts through the backlog of unprocessed info with a resultant effect of feeling emptied out. My body feels happy just thinking about that empty feeling, where new ideas have room to germinate.
Who needs quality rest time?
Everyone who needs downtime. Anyone who has learned new information, experienced emotional situations, encountered something new, something challenging or scary needs quality rest time. Those who have to deal with other humans in their home or work life need rest time. We are not designed to be functioning all the time.
It is easy to see that you need rest time if any of the following applies:
You are feeling overwhelmed by everything that there is to do. Day-to-day living for most of us means that there is so much to do, every day. It is not a perception, there truly is so much to do. How you approach and deal with your volume of tasks and responsibilities is different after allowed yourself to mentally step away. Some days, I have literally not wanted to open my eyes because of the tidal wave of tasks awaiting me. If I do wake up in that situation I almost immediately vow to be in bed by 9pm that evening as I know how much sleep changes my mindset.
Your environment feels like a big mess and you are feeling stressed or out of control. This suggests that your time is taken up with things which are not contributing to ease and instil calm. The external is often a reflection of the internal. If your external has become a bit out of control, perhaps you need a moment (or three) away.
Perhaps you have little niggles that have become bigger aches or pains. This could be your body pleading for attention whispering ‘Hey, you know I love you but give me a break’. The body lets us know where we are at. In my experience, the messages get louder and louder until you literally cannot avoid paying attention.
Constant anxiety and not being able to relax, is a sign you really need to do just that. It can take longer to unwind if it has been considerable time since the last opportunity for repose. Life events can also leave people unable to rest without feeling great discomfort, breathing can help with that.
Tiredness, a consistent bad mood, making mistakes, memory trouble, needing stimulants to get through the day, anxiety and feeling burned-out can all be symptoms of needing rest. You know your normal state. You know how far away from that that you are.
What is rest vs a rest day, relaxation and sleep
Perhaps a couple of quiet evenings and some early nights are in order for you to feel a bit more peaceful on the inside. Or, it could be that you are in need of a bit of time away in a different place to gain some deep space and healing. Depending on what you have in your life, it may or not be possible to have come contemplative time in a hammock for two weeks. That also may not be your kind of rest. You may not even know if you have ever had a real rest before. People can confuse rest with relaxation, sleep or a ‘rest day’.
What is worth noting is that rest is not the same thing as a rest day i.e. a day away from your usual training or running regimen.
Relaxation is also not rest. A dinner with friends can be relaxing, fun and highly enjoyable, which is not rest time.
Sleep is exactly that. Sleep performs a different function from rest.
A definition
Rest is defined as the following: cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep or recover strength. For me the key is in the ceasing aspect. The stopping part, the ‘I do not have to do that now’ and simply ‘No thanks’ without explanation. Many people consider rest to be reading a book, being in nature or spending time alone.
How I rest depends on what I need. If I need physical rest, I will probably use uplifting aromatherapy oil in a bath, lie down reading before switching off my bedside lamp before 9.30pm. I may try to cut down on my physical tasks and cook simpler food for a couple of days. If I need sensory rest I will go to bed as early as possible (maybe just on top of the bed) depending on how early I can get there, close my curtains and light a candle. I just need screens, music, bright light and input in general to go away. I want soothing, soft, calming spaces. I may have been mentally switched on for a while and need time to think about other things. For me novels set in another period of time or in another country seem to allow my head to wander. I also seem to sort through my thoughts when I repeat a mantra over and over again. Creating something new through cooking is often great for me but perhaps not restful. I usually need stillness or at least slowing down when I need rest.
For me silence and not speaking are powerful healers. Having a chance to go within and just let it all stop facilitates the release that comes. Of course, breathing is crucial here too, as always.
