Rest As a Weapon for Healthy Living
When we talk about good health and physical wellness, there are many things to do in order to ensure one lives in the fullness of that wellness. Continuing with our theme for this quarter which is all about promoting good health and wellness, we will be on what REST is and how it can be fashioned to become a weapon driving our wellness.
The Merriam Webster dictionary defined ‘’rest’’ as the following:
- Bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities
- Freedom from activity or labor
- A state of motionlessness or inactivity
- Peace of mind or spirit
- Free of anxieties
In many ways, our bodies remind us of how integral to our wellness rest is. It is not only vital for the truth (promoting clarity of mind) but also vital for survival. It is impossible to function at optimal levels when the body is riddled with fatigue. No matter what anyone says, the human body has been designed to use the rest state to rejuvenate the body, mind and soul.
Types of Rest
- One of the most obvious ways is by way of Physical Rest. In this state, we are either sleeping or napping to trying to calm our bodies via meditative or relaxation exercises – yoga or massages. Physical Rest is one of the most popular ways people understand to bring themselves to a state of calm. This helps relieve our bodies of physical stress such as muscle tensions, headaches or any other discomfort that arises from lack of sleep.
- Let’s talk Social Rest. What does this mean? This simply means finding the means to bring about meaningful interactions with other(s) without the fear of rejection. Social rests are all about pursuing energizing, positive and supportive connections where you are surrounded by positivity which helps you replenish your own tank.
- Sensory Rest is all about giving yourself the opportunity to reduce the overloading of your sensory organs. A lot of us often feel overwhelmed without even knowing why and it is because there is so much input, we expose our senses to – sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. We can achieve sensory rest by unplugging all that noise and reducing screen time, use noise cancelling headphones, aromatherapy to calm our senses, soft clothing that is gentle on our skin, enjoy the fresh air as against being cooped up breathing artificial air or sometimes just enjoy the darkness which helps us be in tune with our natural senses again.
- Creative Rest is simply about allowing yourself to be inspired. Taking the time off to just dance, enjoy nature, write, play, walk, dance or just do something that inspires you is truly a way to relax.
- It is often hard for a lot of us to practice Mental Rest. This is our ability to quiet all the noise and focus on the things that truly matter to us. A lot of times, we have way too many things competing for our attention we forget to make ourselves priority. Mental rest can be intentionally delegating, setting a bed time to ensure adequate sleep time, having meaningful and soul-enriching social relations, meal planning, scheduling and prioritizing, making a therapy appointment if you need one and absolutely just loving yourself through the highs and lows.
- Spiritual Rest is key to wellness as it focuses on our abilities to experience the divine. Contrary to popular opinion, spirituality is not religion as the former focuses on one’s personal relationship to the universe. Some ways to enjoy spiritual rest include experiencing nature and appreciating the uniqueness of nature’s elements; affirmations are food for the soul to awaken our souls, for some; ancestral praise (oriki in Yoruba language) connects them to the land, ancestors and allows them see their place in the scheme of things and finally fellowshipping with like-minded people is a good way key into this type of rest.
In order for us to live a healthy life, we truly need to replenish our energies and be intentional about the right kind of restorative activities that can promote positive energies in our daily living.
With love and wellness,
Proshare Foundation Team.
Sources:
www.lovemymat.com
www.theselfcaresuite.com
www.goop.com
www.merriam-webster.com