What Does It Mean To Rest? 

Rest. It’s something that we sometimes feel like we can not get enough of. No matter what time of year it is- there is always something that is taking up lots and lots of our energy. We may feel like we can never get “rested”. This is true no matter what age we are. Different stages of life come with different areas of stress and we shouldn’t disregard it just because we may think that is just the way it is. The bottom line is that when we feel better, we make better choices. Keep reading for some resources and tips for reducing stress with rest.

What exactly does it mean to rest? Well, you may or may not have known this, but according to this article, there are actually 7 kinds of rest. If you have ever felt not rested even though you think you are getting plenty of sleep- you may need to explore the other 6 types of rest! Take a look at the above resource for more details, or continue reading for some quick tips on how we can get some of that valuable rest in each of the 7 areas. Or here is a super simple To-Do List you can print out to help you get organized or prioritize: To Do List

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Tips For Reducing Stress With Rest

Let’s take a look at each of the 7 types of rest with some simple ideas. But don’t stress over it! Take what resonates with you and leave the rest. Keep in mind the following general quick tips for reducing stress in our everyday lives:

• Keep things simple – Don’t over complicate things, simple is good 
• Your best is good enough – Did you do your best? Then, that’s good enough
• Don’t over think your decisions – Did you use your best judgement with the information you had? Good, move on

1. Physical Rest

This is what we may think of when we think of resting- sleeping or taking a nap. Of course, we must take care of our body and that includes getting enough sleep- that is a whole other topic of which there is much research to look into. You can track your sleep with this Sleep Tracker. But, as we relate it to healthy aging and yoga, it includes making sure that we are including movements in our day that help us to keep our muscles relaxed and lengthened and to keep our circulation healthy. We can do this by making sure that we are including restorative yoga poses, stretching, and easy movements to help alleviate physical stress. You may be interested in these ideas:

Tips For Healing With Chair Yoga

Hands to Heart Center Pose

Chair Yoga Stretch

Chair Yoga: Quick Posture Reset

2. Mental Rest

We often can have issues or a problem that we are in the middle of solving and we just cannot let it go. We may wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it and we just cannot turn off our brains. We may think that we are getting closer to a solution if we do this, but the reality is that it is just not productive. All of that mental strain is really just making us tired.  You may be interested in thesetwo ideas:

1. Write down the issue on a piece of paper. Then, write down one concrete thing that you can do right now to help alleviate the problem. That idea may not fix it, but it is a start and moves you in a productive direction. You do not have to solve the whole problem right at this moment, just get it out of your brain so it can stop weighing you down.

2.Try some deep breathing exercises. You can start by simply taking 3 deep breaths right now. Remember it does not have to be complicated. Or, take a look at Breathing for Better Mobility for some simple ideas and some more information on the breath. Print out this Breathing Tracker to help you make breathing exercises a daily practice.

3. Sensory Rest

Unfortunately, we live in a world that can sometimes be full of sensory overload. Even if we are not attached to our phones, it can be hard to escape the constant digital screens and noise. We can be overloaded with visual and auditory stimulation- which in turn has an effect on our physical state. Poor posture when we are on our phones and computers can lead to prolonged low level muscle contractions that can result in pain and discomfort throughout the body. Here are a few tips to help lessen the sensory overload:

• The most obvious tip is to take scheduled breaks from electronics, whatever that may be -phone, computer, television.
• Get outside in a quiet spot and just listen to the sounds in the environment- use all of your senses as you take in the setting. If you cannot get outside, just change you environment for a few moments if you can.
• Enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever you choose- and only focus on that. Try not to do anything else but enjoy the moment and the calm.
• Take a look at Mindfulness Exercises For Seniors  for some more simple tips.
• Or try this 21 Day Mindfulness Challenge – no fancy equipment needed!

If you are interested in starting a daily mindfulness practice, you may be interested in this book-Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Essential Meditations to Reduce Stress, Improve Mental Health, and Find Inner Peace in the Everyday.

4. Creative Rest

You may not give this one much thought, but it can have a huge impact on how we feel. Take a look around your environment. Are you inspired by what you see? Do you have pictures or photos of people or places that make you feel happy? If not, what can you do to change that. It doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, just start with a few things and go from there.

Do you have a hobby? Spend some time doing something creative or making something- it doesn’t have to be anything grand. I have never thought that I was creative, but I really wanted to learn how to make “something”. After watching several YouTube videos, I finally learned how to crochet. Now, I can only do the basics so I make a lot of scarves- but the repetitive nature is good for the brain and I get to create something.

If you cannot think of anything, here is an idea that won’t cost you a cent. If you are not already familiar with Canva, it is an online design tool. You can use it for free and design anything you want- from cards, to posters, to flyers. You can even create wall art. It does take a bit of playing around to get the hang of it, but once you do- it could be a wonderful creative outlet for you.

5. Emotional Rest

This has to do with just simply being ourselves. If we tend to be in situations where we have to always be managing our emotions, it can get pretty draining. This can result from all sorts of situations. It may be a bit tricky to solve this one. But just by thinking about it, we can get bring some more awareness to it. Try these two simple tips:

1. Surround yourself with people that allow you to be your authentic self.

2.Try journaling- it can help you get your emotions out in a safe way. If you are not a writer- no worries- just start by jotting down a few words each day of how you feel. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You can just use a notebook or piece of paper that you have. You can take a look at my Daily Journal Notebook. Or here is an example of a different style that may appeal to you. You may also be interested in the journals from Promptly Journals. They have many different themes to choose from, including these Gratitude Journals:

6. Spiritual

This is one that will mean very different things to different people. It can mean anything from participation in a religious type setting, to just being in a supportive environment. This can include family and friends, or even some type of support group. Meditation and breathing exercises are also a way to help you feel like you are in a supportive setting. You can try this simple mediation for beginners. There are many options available with a search on YouTube. 

7. Social

You may be the person that people are always asking something from. Maybe you are always offering to help in some way. Or, maybe you accept every invitation no matter what because you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feeling. Now, there is nothing wrong with either of those scenarios- but we can get burned out and need some time where we don’t feel like we need to be giving all of our mental, emotional, and physical energy. It is about spending time with people that help you to feel balanced. If we are feeling depleted in this area, we can simply take some time to evaluate how we really feel in these situations and go from there. 

Remember, it does not have to be perfect. I hope that you found something here that may resonate with you and that may help you find a bit more rest in your life. 

Want More?

You can print out this Daily Check In to help you get started with tracking how you are feeling

You may be interested in the 21 Day Mindfulness Challenge

Check out some more simple tips in Health and Wellness: 5 Simple Tips

You may be interested in this Self Care Planner from The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop

You can find some more tips in Cultivating A Positive Mindset With Yoga

Finally, sign up for the Monthly Email Newsletter to stay up to date on the latest blog posts and videos.

Namaste!

Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, the peacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.