By Brooke Stoltzfus, LSW
It’s summertime! The warm weather and long days make summer such a popular time for many people to take a vacation. Why do we take a vacation? Certainly to have fun, but also to take a break from our daily busy lives. Vacation often consists of spending time with family, getting to do fun activities, and resting. Another word used for vacation is often “a holiday”, and in the definition of holiday, it specifically mentions there is no work done. As a culture who loves the work grind and productivity, vacations, or holidays, are needed. There are many benefits and reasons to rest, but that will be a blog for another day. For today, let’s explore how to effectively rest! We often need to be purposeful and maybe even re-learn how to rest in a culture of productivity, so here are 4 quick tips to improve your rest.
1. Pay attention to how you feel after an activity
Restful activities are not one-size-fits-all. Some people consider going on a run, baking, or being outside as restful. Other people might find reading a book, taking a nap, or sitting with pets or friends as restful. Either way, when we’re discussing rest, comparison cannot be present. Resting is not a competition, so being honest with yourself and paying attention to how you feel after an activity is crucial! After spending time with a group of people, do you feel sleepy, untalkative, and maybe even irritable? Those might be clues that socializing is not a restful activity for you. If you go on a walk, does your head feel clearer, your mood more cheerful, or more at peace? That might mean walking does wonders to recharge you! There are a variety of different emotions we can feel after doing something restful including satisfaction, peacefulness, happiness, accomplishment, gratitude, and many others. Try to notice your mood and how your body feels after an activity, and be honest with yourself of how you’re feeling. Recognizing your body’s response to activities helps determine what is actually restful for you.
2. Tap into a “happiness chemical” organically
One way of resting is to tap into the “happiness chemicals” that your brain produces. I specifically use the word “organically” because we can get quick, artificial dopamine hits from scrolling on social media. These “hits” are short-lived and can quickly overstimulate your brain. You’ve probably heard of dopamine and endorphins, but there is also serotonin and oxytocin. Each of these chemicals have a clever nickname indicating how they affect our brain. Dopamine is known as the “reward chemical” and typically comes after an activity such as completing a task, eating food, achieving a goal, and doing a self-care activity. Endorphins’ nickname is “the pain-killer”. We’re most familiar with endorphins being released during exercise which is where we get the concept of a “runner’s high”. We can also release endorphins while laughing or listening to music. Endorphins and dopamine work together – endorphins help boost the production of dopamine! The “love hormone”, or oxytocin, brings warm and fuzzy feelings. Oxytocin is released when you give hugs, spend time with friends, pet animals, or even help others. Lastly, serotonin, “the mood stabilizer”, does just that. Low levels of serotonin are often linked to depression, but we can release serotonin by sitting out in the sun, spending time in nature, or meditating. Knowing how to release these chemicals can be a part of effective rest time.
3. On the flip side, give your brain a break from stimulation
Dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin can be great for our mood, but there are also many benefits to boredom. With smart phones we can access news, people’s statuses, shopping, entertainment, music, and countless other stimulants. With all of this at our fingertips, we hardly have any time to be bored or give our brain a break. The constant flooding of information can often bring anxiety and racing thoughts. This might come as a shock, but being bored can stimulate creativity, boost problem-solving, and even improve mental health. Next time you’re waiting in line, try leaving your phone in your pocket and give your brain a break. If you’re really feeling ambitious, set a timer for just 5 minutes and do nothing but just sit. Try to find little moments during the day to be bored!
4. Once you’ve gotten to know yourself and how to effectively rest, implement rest regularly
So you’ve noticed how you feel after activities, which ones bring rest, how to tap into happiness chemicals, and even allow yourself to be bored every now and then. Implement rest regularly into your routine. Rest is pertinent to productive, solid work, improving mental health, and overall living a balanced life. While at first it may seem counterintuitive, rest is not lazy, selfish, or unproductive. As Christians, we are actually commanded to rest for our well-being and to delight in the Lord. Let this blog be a challenge to you to rest purposefully and regularly.
We Can Help!
Are you feeling stressed and strung out with responsibilities and activities, or feeling burnt-out with work and a busy life? At Lime Tree Counseling, we can help you let go of what is causing anxiety and find the type of rest that helps you recharge. We offer in-person counseling at our Ambler, PA office, online counseling throughout Pennsylvania and online counseling in North Carolina. Please reach out to us to be connected to one of our caring and capable counselors in the areas of anxiety therapy, trauma counseling, or addiction counseling. You can schedule a free 15 minute consultation, or make an appointment for an initial session. We are here to help!