How tired are you?
If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, feeling the strain of constant busy-ness, or just trying to keep all the plates spinning, you won’t be alone. Most of us are busy people (and as I explain in Answers in The Dark, a nation of poor sleepers), so if you’ve been feeling weary lately, it makes total sense.
Being truly rested isn’t just about sleep but it allows us to fire on all cylinders and cope with the tests and strains of daily life. That doesn’t mean you have to “keep going no matter what” (we call that toxic resiliency) – no, it means to embrace rest as part of your daily routine, because you recognise how important it is. We know rest is not just essential for the body but it’s important for the mind too.
People who feel well rested are more likely to make better decisions, be more creative, feel less agitated and cope when the going gets tough. But if it isn’t just about sleep, what is it?
Here’s what might help:
This week, maybe set the intention to Find Your Rest. Research by Dr Saundra Dalton Smith suggests that there are actually seven different types of rest.
The types of rest we might need include Sensory Rest – think of how we stay stimulated by all the pings, rings and dings from our mobile phone – as well as Social Rest; being around people who lift you up. You might equally decide to set a calendar reminder at points during the day to literally just step back from your desk, and get some fresh air.
Importantly, is the subject of Spiritual Rest – something I think is often overlooked. We neglect our spiritual selves, when there’s so much else going on. Spiritual Rest is the ability to connect with something “beyond the physical and mental”. Often this involves doing something that gives us a sense of purpose – like volunteering – but might also include discovering when we feel most connected – for example, in nature. Some people find just being in green spaces enables them to rest and recharge. (My blog on the Vision Board also covers all the different pillars to wellness).
Of course the key to rest is giving yourself permission in the first place to do it, so don’t be afraid to make this a priority. You’re allowed to rest, you’re allowed to recharge, and you’ll feel so much better for it.
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You might also like: my book Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now.
© Delphi Ellis 2023
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