BLOG - How does one define rest? What comes to mind is getting off one’s feet and laying one’s body down. Do we feel rested after that? Not always; physically yes, but what if concerns are like a whirlpool in one’s mind during that time? So no, not rested then.
Do you wake up in the morning, dragging yourself out of bed? Sleep is not always restful.
A new definition of rest is needed and I need to ask the question: What kind of tired am I? Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith MD, a physician-researcher, bestselling author and motivational speaker, has identified seven kinds of rest-deficient conditions.
For example, we can be physically tired or emotionally tired; in mental overdrive or sensory overload; and spiritually tired from difficult relationships and no time to oneself or time to stare at something beautiful or create something beautiful.
Rest is actually about restoring lost energy: replenishing, renewing and regenerating. The prefix, re-, requires us to go back to a prior state: a-gain. Determine the rest you are missing and you will recover your life, renew your energy and restore your sanity.
Physical rest
I love walking and hiking and find it difficult to be still. Yet, it is only in physical stillness that you can listen to your body and feel what aches or is tense and respond to it.
A painkiller is not a useful response to the body. You are simply telling your body to shut up. It is shocking to what extent we ignore the health of our bodies.
We feed them unhealthy food and then dislike it when obesity results.
We would never treat our car like this. We take care to refuel it correctly and look after its maintenance and it can last about ten years.
What about your body, given to you for 90 years or so? Your body has an intelligence and knows how to heal itself with your mind’s co-operation and good nutrition.
Life is not all about doing. It’s about the being, the seeing, the knowing and the experiencing. We find these precious moments when we lay ourselves down.
Here are three activities to practise physical rest:
- Keep your body flexible and in gentle motion while awake to prevent stiffness from being in one position for a long time.
- Be still for five minutes with a purpose - for example, inhaling goodness and wellness and exhaling staleness and anything negative. Exchange breath with your Creator. Or take the time to listen to your body. How does it feel from top to toe? How can you respond to whatever need arises.
- Prepare for sleep in whatever way suits you. Dim the lights, avoid media, develop a routine your body can trust. - June McGahey is a natural food and lifestyle consultant based in Mossel Bay (june@healthathand.co.za)
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