How do you define rest? Is it sleeping? Is it just taking a break from the norm and relaxing? Watching T.V. or reading?
It could be all of those, or none, depending on how you do them.
If you go to sleep late on a full stomach stressed about tomorrows deadline, that is not rest.
If you watch television that is violent, abusive, stressful or the like, that is not rest either.
The goal with rest is to actually rejuvenate and refresh the body with whatever you are doing at that time. Being in the present moment of a relaxing activity is one of the best ways to nurture the body.
Here are my top 10 ways to rest. Remember, health is a vibration that we are trying to obtain through restand can easily be created by observing nature or silence whenever we want. You can have health at any instant with this focus.
- Meditate in silence. This could simply mean hanging out for 5-10 minutes in a quiet place focused on your breathing and relaxing every muscle in your body.
- Before you go to bed, get rid of all your thoughts and anxieties from the day and for tomorrow, and tell your body it is ok to focus on healing itself now and throughout the rest of night as you sleep. Think about waking up refreshed and energetic after 7-8 hours of sleep.
- Start and end your day with 5-20 minutes focused on total body awareness and breathing through stretching or simple movements like tai chi.
- Be in nature and soak up its energy.
- Spend 5-10 minutes per day loving yourself, others, and your life.
- Have fun with the little things in life, like cooking.
- Have a purpose that fulfills you. Without it, you will continue to search for happiness and be uneasy.
- Balance the 4 Dimensions of Health: 1) Self 2) Body 3) Community 4) Universe
- Take a nap for 20-40 minutes with the intent of rejuvenating your systems and taking a time-out from life.
- Pick out something that aggravates you on a daily basis and constantly combat it with relaxed breathing and peaceful thoughts, i.e. road rage, yelling at your children, spouse or yourself, etc.