We are living in a culture where being pathologically busy is the norm and where rest is riskily underrated. Hands up if you find it challenging to give yourself the time out to rest; to give your mind, body and spirit a decent respite with the opportunity to unplug from our often too hectic world. Can you allow yourself the time and space to ease into the bliss of nothingness?

Rest is fundamental for enhancing our health, happiness and our capacity to achieve our personal goals and success in life.  We need rest for mental health and cognitive function; improving and balancing our moods, memory and concentration. Rest is imperative for reducing stress, enhancing a healthier immune system while promoting well-being. When we sleep soundly, some of our physiological systems such as our digestive system have the opportunity to rest and in doing so can improve our metabolism and help us to manage our weight more effectively.

Rest isn’t simply about sleep –  humans also need “Waking Rest”.  In the article, “Exercise, sleep, nutrition and waking rest” published in 2019 by the Oxford Academic, the authors explain that, “Waking rest is a period of quiet, reflective thought that allows the brain time to consider and process whatever arises spontaneously. Waking rest can last from 5 to 20 minutes once or multiple times per day, and should take place in an area where the participant feels safe, comfortable, and can remain uninterrupted by outside influences. It is void of effortful, focused thought and distracting stimuli such as watching television and engaging in social media.” Read more…