Our bodies are designed to rest. There is a natural rhythm of waking and sleeping that triggers our bodies into resting and rejuvenating. Most people don’t deny themselves time to sleep, but many aren’t getting enough sleep or proper sleep for that matter.
Being physically tired is an indication that we need sleep, but there are many ways that we can become tired. While sleep is a common form of rest, there are also different sorts of rest that help restore energy. Problem is, we live in a culture that doesn’t make rest a priority.
“It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol” -Brene Brown
Is Rest An Indulgence?
Nowadays people are expected to work like they don’t have families and spend time with their family like they don’t have work. It’s nearly impossible to be all things to all people and not become utterly exhausted.
Many people are so weary they aren’t functioning at their best, but they don’t believe there is anything they can do about it.
Facts are, if you don’t stand up for your right to rest, no one will. Making sleep a priority in a busy world has to start with you and those around you must learn to accept and accommodate your healthy boundaries.
When people think about rest they often think about physical rest. Sleep usually comes to mind or, the very least, lying on the couch scrolling through social media.
Physical rest is very important but there are three main areas that people need rest:
- Mind
- Body
- Spirit
The mind, body, and spirit are all connected and one being fatigued can easily influence the other.
Mind, Body, Spirit Connection and Sleep
Being tired is generally considered a physical thing. A weary body is natural for someone who works hard physically or is aging.
Most people don’t know that the mind and the spirit are intricately connected to the body and can influence its health and vitality. Interesting enough, sometimes an illness or injury in the body is actually a manifestation of the mind or the weariness of the spirit.
1. You are a Spirit Who has a Mind and Lives in a Body
This is a simple and precise way of looking at the three-fold connection. Having a healthy mind and spirit can ensure the health of the body.
Likewise, having an unhealthy body can impact the health of the mind and spirit. They are all intertwined.
2. Worry Begins in the Mind and Expresses Itself in the Body
Worries are cerebral but they act out in aches, pains, and worse. Worrying over something begins in the mind and eventually manifests in issues like:
- Skin irritations
- Stomach and digestive troubles
- Anxiety- rapid heart rate, breathing issues
- Insomnia
- Muscle aches
- And more
As the mind works overtime the body begins to express the pain, fear, and worry outward in multiple ways.
3. A Grieved Spirit Can Cause Mental Health Issues
Not all mental health symptoms come from organic mental illness. Some mental health issues like situational depression, anxiety, and some personality disorders can come from traumatic experiences, loss, or a sense of disconnection.
Being weary in your spirit can lead to issues in the mind that impede normal functioning.
4. A Chronic Illness Can Impact the Mind and the Spirit
Sometimes the body doesn’t function well. An illness, disease, injury, or defect can create pain or challenges that affect our mental health. Being chronically ill or living with the effects of a disease or defect can elevate mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
You are a spirit who has a mind and lives in a body. The three are connected and impact one another. Being weary in any area can wear you out.
Acknowledging your need for rest as a preventative tool and a restorative tool matters.
Being willing to rest your mind, body, or spirit will help maximize your day-to-day life and give you the energy to meet your commitments. Get in tune with your mind, body, spirit connection so you can identify where you are tired and take the necessary steps to rejuvenate.
Making Rest a Priority
Since we live in a world that glorifies being busy, it’s hard to imagine resting as being responsible. Taking time off, doing nothing in particular, having no plans or intentionally making plans to unplug and refresh seems indulgent.
That’s a sad commentary on our culture. Recovering from exhaustion or preventing it altogether is nothing to feel guilty about!
Making rest a priority in a world that diminishes its benefits can feel like going against the grain. You’ve got to stand up for yourself and your family and integrate rest into your routine despite the normalcy to be busy.
- Setting boundaries and limits can help.
- Learning to incorporate rest into your routine will help keep your mind, body, and spirit from becoming weary.
- Encouraging others to rest and restore- as well as prevent exhaustion will help ensure they are functioning at their best too.
Failure to rest can lead to illness, injury, or worse- none of which improves quality of life. Make rest part of your routine regardless of how it’s perceived so you can be sure to have the stamina, enthusiasm, and brainpower to live your best life.
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