“Knowing when we need to rest shows a huge amount of understanding of ourselves, respect for our bodies, and allows our practice to support us for a lifetime.” – Emma Newlyn
Conservative estimates are that 70 percent of all illnesses are caused by stress and others suggest up to 90 percent. Stress impacts every part of our body, mind and spirit.
Rest is something that I struggled with for a long time. It wasn’t something encouraged in school or in my family dynamics. I never knew how to just be with myself. The closest I got to resting was when I was reading a good book. Which is a great way to take time to rest, but it was the ONLY time I would do it. In school, I was either studying all the time or up late with friends. After college, I found a love of fitness and I thought I needed to constantly be focusing on more and more physical activity in order to be in shape or to chase the anxiety away every time I was still.
Unfortunately, our society does not make rest a high priority. We are encouraged to do and be more. Goals that take into consideration our career and passions are great priorities to have, but if we do not take the time to rest, burnout is inevitable. Goals around rest need to be as important, if not MORE important, than other goals.
It was not until I started meditating and making yoga (not just the physical practice but all components of yoga) a part of my daily life that I truly realized how important it is. I have experienced adrenal fatigue, high cortisol levels, hormonal imbalances and disrupted sleep all from not taking the time to rest my body. That combined with 10+ years of birth control, it sent my life into a tailspin. I suddenly realized that rest was critical to my overall health and well-being.
Rest can look different for every person. Perhaps it is walking in nature, reading a fictional novel, enjoying a meal with friends or even just sitting in silence. Without rest, we start running on fumes.
How are you taking time to rest? What could happen if you rested more in your life?