5 Reasons Why it is Important to Let Yourself Rest
We were given one of the greatest abilities which is the awareness to be able to recognize when we need to take a break and rest.
Resting is a necessary part of our existence. It keeps us healthy, happy, less stressed, balanced, energized, improves self-esteem, and much more. If we don’t allow ourselves to rest our emotional, physical, and mental health begins to suffer immensely.
Despite these obvious positives and negatives, a lot of people often deny themselves of the rest they need.
If rest is so important to our overall health why is neglected so often? If you don’t let yourself rest when you need it, why do you do that?
Common reasons for this often seem to be a result of many misconceptions about the act of resting.
One of those misconceptions is that resting is lazy and is used to procrastinate important work. However, rest is defined as to “cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength” (Oxford Languages). So you see rest is not an act of being unwilling to work but it is about giving yourself time to rejuvenate the energy you used so much of.
Another belief is that you can’t rest until you have finished all you needed to or accomplished something. The problem with this is that you might tire yourself out so much that at some point you are barely able to keep up your energy to continue. There is no point in fighting the need for rest because most likely you won’t be very efficient anyways.
Here’s an example I always like to use. Say it’s 12am and you are studying for a test you have the next day. You are exhausted, practically falling asleep at your desk but you fight it and force yourself to read through the last 8 pages of your notes. If you are that tired odds are even if you read through those 8 pages you will not remember any of it the next day. The best thing to do is take the cues from your body and get to bed early so you can wake up and go over the notes when you’re more awake.
So, I’ve talked generally about why rest is important and a couple of the reasons people deny themselves the right to rest. But what are the most important reasons you should let yourself rest?
Let’s go over them:
6 reasons why it is important to let yourself rest
“When we rest our energy is restored” — Laliah Gifty Akita
1.It restores your energy: You have probably heard the saying that rest allows you to recharge like a battery. Well, that is 100% true! Resting, whether it be sleeping or just laying down watching a movie, will restore the energy you need to work effectively. This is important because we will only be able to give whatever is left of our energy into our tasks. So if you are working with only 25% of your energy that’s all you have to give which will most likely not yield your best work or attention.
“If you’re tired learn to rest not to quit” — Banksy
2. It improves your mood: Rest makes room for more happiness, content, calmness, and increases your presence and awareness. It can also help decrease stress and tension which is extremely important for anything that you do.
“It’s ok! Get some rest. . .” — Lone Errors
3. It is a form of self-care and self-love: When you rest you are listening to your body and mind telling you that it needs time to reset. Overworking yourself ignores your body's need for balance. When you listen you are showing yourself that you care about your health and want to make sure you care for yourself. Resting when you need to is not something to feel guilty about. Sometimes you have to say no to things in order to say yes to yourself. Letting yourself rest is a great way to give yourself some love.
“Rest is not idle, is not wasteful. Sometimes rest is the most productive thing you can do for your body and soul” — Erica Layne
4. It repairs your body: Our bodies and minds repair themselves when we rest, specifically when we get enough sleep. During sleep, our bodies are able to be still and our minds are able to be silent which helps them rest from the work and stimulation they endure in the day. Like I mentioned in #2, stress decreases when you rest. Stress can have a big impact on your physical body so resting can also help repair your body from the burden of stress from the day.
“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” — Alan Cohen
5. It helps you to focus better: Active minds get tired just as easily as an active body. Making time to quiet your thoughts and get enough sleep will help you to focus better. This is important because being able to focus improves your ability to concentrate on important tasks and be more present with others. My studying example from earlier is good to be able to picture this better.
Overall, rest is important. It is not just important but it is necessary for all aspects of our health and happiness.
There are so many ways you can give yourself the gift of rest. For instance, you can sleep, sit outside, take a break from technology, watch your favorite show, indulge in your favorite type of self-care, read a book, practice a hobby, watch the clouds, meditate, or anything else that allows your body and/or mind to reach 100% charge again.
Now, go get some rest.
Sincerely,
Skylar Rae❤️🌻
Follow my Instagram for more soul enlightenment, mental health, and personal development — @skylarraeblog
