The importance of rest is overlooked most of the time by a large majority of us. The reason why rest is imperative is that our bodies heal and rejuvenate during the rest phase which in turn builds immunity, fights inflammation, reduces stress and helps us stay focussed.
Most of us are busy, some more than others and while we have a deadline to submit projects and complete tasks there is none to finish working and start resting. Overtime, we have built up sleep lags, rest deficits and compromised our immunity. When our bodies can cope no more, we fall sick.
We have to think differently and give time and attention to looking after our physical self too. The human body can rest in two ways – when we take breaks and when we sleep.
Breaks can be scheduled during working hours and after work. Taking that 10 minute coffee break at work and doing any relaxing activity of your choice for at least 30 mins every day is a great start.
Experts recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep. We have all heard this and sometimes even found ourselves on a short fuse after waking up after just a few hours of sleep but we still don’t think of it as a big deal. What we may notice is dark circles beneath our eyes but we don’t notice the compromised repair processes inside our bodies.
During sleep our bodies produce cytokines – proteins that help in immune response; release hormones that help repair and grow cells and tissues; switch off our sympathetic nervous system that controls our fight or flight response to relax us; and consolidate information in our brain. Failing to get a good amount of deep sleep reduces our immunity and leaves us susceptible to several health complications. So rest well!
Next week I will talk about emotional wellness and share how it can positively impact your health.
