“If I could give one tip it would be to help people understand the difference between sleep and rest and the value of booking rest into the day. For many people, myself included, sleep is the holy grail and, while it is absolutely the most important physical rest the mind and body can have, we also must train ourselves to take mindful breaks from ‘doing’ throughout the day in order to move consciously into a ‘being’ state.
“We are suffering from a rest deficit, especially after lockdown, with our ever-increasing ‘to do’ lists and our eagerness to sign up for social occasions again (our fomo is in overdrive but we’re out of training for all this interaction).
“When we are busy or in our high-functioning ‘doing’ mode, our stress hormones are pumping through our system – cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones are necessary in times of danger as they help us in fight or flight mode, if they are present on a daily basis, they become bully hormones that affect our ability to rest and digest. Rest and digest hormones are messengers that have a physical function which can affect our emotional wellbeing. They can be released through touch, thoughts, activities and the foods we eat.
“When the body is in ‘being’ mode it moves into a healing state, this is when all the soft wellbeing hormones are released, serotonin in the gut, dopamine in the brain, oxytocin when we hug and kiss or go for a massage, endorphins which are released after exercise and melatonin at night when we sleep. Being conscious of the need for rest during the day is the key – this does not include scrolling through your phone or watching Netflix. Plan to book rest in as a priority just like work tasks. The objective is to move the body into healing mode, to feel balanced and well, improving digestive issues and improving sleep.
Different types of rest include:
Active physical rest: Gentle movement, a leisurely walk in nature, yoga, mindfulness and amp, meditation, sit in a bath with essential oils and magnesium salts
Sensory rest: Digital detox, time away from the screen, no background noise, in dark space, diffuse an oil, breathe deeply and let go
Emotional and social rest: Turn off the phone, set boundaries, the importance of saying no, time on your own, reconnect to self, editing friendships to those that make you feel good
Creative rest: Reading a book, journaling, enjoying a hobby, arts and crafts.
