The only way for your body to restore is through rest. And rest is something that falls by the wayside in our endlessly busy lives. It’s the thing we promise ourselves we’ll do at the weekend or when we’re on holiday, or once we’ve finished everything else on our list. Spoiler alert……there will always be something on your list!
There’s a tendency to view rest as laziness, or wasted time and in this ‘always on’ culture, we seem to have lost the ability to switch off. To be busy has become a badge of honour, a status symbol that reflects our importance, but at what consequence?
Why you need to recharge your batteries
Not allowing yourself time to rest and restore can keep you in a state of stress, which means more stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, pumping around your body.
Our stress response was designed to enable us to fight or flee when faced with danger and this response has not changed as our lifestyles have evolved. Our body still responds the same way when we’re faced with the myriad of micro stressors each day as it did when we were being chased by a lion. The difference is, we could retreat to our cave after the threat had passed and allow our stress response to switch off and our body to restore. But today, these micro stressors are unrelenting, so our body remains on high alert and primed to deal with danger which is not a good thing!
The consequences on your health
Prolonged exposure to stress hormones can play havoc with your neurotransmitters, causing symptoms such as brain fog and mood swings. The constant rush of adrenaline and cortisol can make you feel anxious and wired, making it even harder to relax and switch off. And it can also contribute to poor sleep which makes you less resilient to be able to deal with stress.
There are also consequences for our physical health. Cortisol can slow your metabolism making you susceptible to weight gain, particularly around the middle. It can impact on immune, digestive and reproductive functions, contribute to PMS and dysregulated monthly cycles, and increase your risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Importance of stress management
We need to be practicing stress management every day to help prevent us becoming overwhelmed and burnt out from our daily stressors, and to build our resilience so we are better prepared to cope with an acute stressful situation when it inevitably comes along. It’s like a muscle. You need to flex it every day for it to grow strong.
Reading, being in nature, alone time, listening to music and daydreaming were noted amongst the top 10 restful activities in the world’s biggest survey on rest. But rest doesn’t have to be a passive activity and for some, doing something active is more effective. For instance, there is research showing that running can be relaxing for some people (I’m not one of those people!)
Top tips for getting more ‘Restore’ time
The list really is endless when it comes to finding ways to recharge your batteries. The problem is finding time for them. These are my top 3 tips for making sure it happens.
1. Schedule ‘Me time’ every day
Put it in your diary and make it non-negotiable, even if it’s just 5 minutes. You wouldn’t stand your friend up for a coffee date so don’t stand yourself up! Use it to do something you love, and do it mindfully, where you can truly lose yourself in that activity. Whether it’s a good book, a relaxing bath, a run, catching up with a good friend, listening to your favourite tunes, whatever works for you. Just don’t be scrolling through your phone at the same time!
2. Say No!
This is especially important for the people pleasers out there! We have precious little time as it is so don’t waste it on activities (and people!) that don’t lift you up and make you feel good. Let go of obligation, set boundaries and say no. It is not selfish to look after yourself.
3. Build microbreaks into your day
Studies show that taking short breaks throughout the day, can help reduce stress and improve our alertness and overall performance. A microbreak could be getting up from your desk to make a cup of tea, getting some fresh air with a quick walk around the block, daydreaming out of the window for a couple of minutes, or closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. A microbreak is not mindlessly scrolling through social media or checking your emails!
Need help?
Finding time to rest and restore is the area my clients struggle with the most. Women are particularly bad at this as we tend to look after everyone else first and put ourselves to the bottom of the list. If you can remember back to the days when we used to be able to fly (oh how I long for those days!), we would be told that in the event of an emergency, to put our own safety mask on first before helping others. Well, the same applies here. You’ll be of no use to anyone if you don’t look after yourself and allow time to relax and destress, so give yourself permission to RESTORE and don’t feel guilty about it!
This can often be the missing piece of the puzzle when my clients tell me that they’re doing everything right; great diet, regular exercise, only the occasional drink, but still feel tired, still can’t lose weight, still have low moods, and still generally feel like crap!
Does this sound like you? It may be worth getting your stress hormones and adrenal function tested so you can understand exactly what is going on and what support would be best for you. If you’d like more information on the types of testing available, then please get in touch for a chat.
Get Personalised Support
If you would like more personalised support with optimising your own mental wellbeing, book a free 30 minute discovery call today