So, who needs to rest? Well, in short, we all do, the better question is why?
The human body is an amazing thing but like all things, rest is a very important part of overall health. On average a person works 8 hours a day, now if we add in a workout and daily chores/activities lets add another 3-4 hours. If we are extremely lucky we have a family or friends we are able to enjoy 2-3 hours. That being said we are left with an average of 8-10 left in our day.
Know we all know with those 8-10 hours remaining we are going to add a little binge-watching or other activity so were probably closer to 6-7 hours when it comes to getting sleep. So why is sleep so important?
In order for the body to function properly, it needs energy and rest! Without rest, your body will begin to shut down. So what are some signs that you aren’t getting enough rest?
- mood swings
- exhaustion
- brain fog
- lower immunity
- lower libido
- decreased overall energy
Who has time for any of the above things? Now, what can you do to help with these things? Well, the simple answer is to sleep at least 8 hours a day but here is a list of a few things to try.
- step away from the desk
- take a power nap (set an alarm)
- go to bed early
- take a day off
- don’t go out
Now some of these are easy and so will take a little more commitment. We can all take a few minutes at work, have a quick lunch and then try the power nap. Going to bed early may be tough and doesn’t have to be done every day but at least once a week could be a great option.
My personal favorite is to take a day off, relax on the couch or go for a drive. If you can’t take the whole day off try half a day, trust me your body will thank you for it. One of the toughest things to do for some of us will be to de-commit, meaning saying no to hanging out or going to everything. You may feel as though you’re letting someone down but your health is important and proper rest is part of it.
So what have we learned? The first thing should be that rest is key to your health and your health should be a priority. So do yourself and your body a favor and take time for yourself to rest, to relax. Trust me in just a few short days you should see and feel the difference. If your looking for more tips or suggestions check out my other blogs.
As always take care of yourself and remember only you can invest in your health!!