Ovid knew what he was talking about. Nature knows how to rest; all creatures and plants quite unconsciously follow their own natural repetitive cycle of energetic activity followed by rest. They don’t need to plan their rest, they don’t need reminders, they don’t find themselves battling to take rest or even dismissing the idea that they need to rest at all.
We are still learning about the sleep needs of non-human creatures but it seems that most creatures with a brain take some of their rest in the form of sleep. Sleep is considered to be a state of immobility or inactivity, with a reduced responsiveness to external sensory stimuli. Some creatures slow down and sleep for part of the year (hibernation), some sleep as we humans do at night and are awake in the day, whilst others sleep during the day and are active at night, e.g. owls, bats and badgers, some birds sleep on the wing (e.g. swifts and frigatebirds) and some animals like dolphins sleep unihemispherically, i.e. one side of the brain sleeps whilst the other remains active.
The benefits of sleep
Sleep is vital for the body and the mind to be able to recover, and restore and repair themselves. The flora and fauna of the natural world seem to do just what they need to ensure that they achieve the rest and sleep they need to survive and flourish. We humans, however, often find this more challenging…..
Over the last 5-10 years, there has been an increasing focus on the importance of good sleep habits for our wellbeing. Most of us are now fully aware that we need to take sleep seriously: get 7-8 hours a night, avoid eating, alcohol and screen time a good few hours before sleeping, and establish consistent times both to go to bed and get up. If we don’t get the sleep we need, a deterioration in our cognitive, physical and emotional capacities quickly follow. Extreme fatigue, hormonal imbalances, decreased motivation, poor decision making, speech impairments and a decreased capacity to focus are all possible.
So sleep is crucial for us to be able to function well, and most of us at least know this and are trying to put it into practice, but what about rest?
Is rest any different?
Rest is different from sleep. It is also hugely beneficial for the body and the mind. Rest happens when we are fully awake; it relaxes and recharges us. It is gentle for our mind, our body and our soul and allows us to tap into reparative and creative activities. Again, we humans often seem to struggle to listen to our bodies’ need for rest. We rush from one activity to another, one appointment to another, one distraction to another. But at what cost?
When we are busy slogging our way through the demands of work and family life, ticking off tasks on seemingly endless to-do lists, rushing from one appointment to another, on the go from morning to night, and panicking that we will manage to get everything done, our minds and bodies are functioning in a state of high stress. This means that the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, are coursing through our bodies wreaking havoc on our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. On the one hand these hormones are a vital part of our nervous system that keeps us alert to threats and allows us to avoid danger. On the other, they’re only ever meant to be produced in short bursts – for just long enough to get us out of a stressful and potentially dangerous situation. Living unrelentingly in a high state of stress leads to significant wear and tear on the body and the mind that can result in long-term illnesses, conditions and diseases. We ignore rest at our peril.
Rest is achieved when we offer our body and mind experiences which feel safe, calming and nurturing: and which result in reduced stress hormones. Restful activities include being in nature, becoming engrossed in a good book, mindful movement, being present in the moment, enjoying gentle sensory activities, disconnecting from screens, engaging in the arts and crafts, and catching up with a friend. The benefits of rest are manifold: improved mood, increased energy, greater creativity, improved cognitive responses, and better relaxation and problem-solving capacities, to name but a few.
How often in the day, I wonder, do you allow your nervous system to enjoy some downtime? What restful activities do you currently engage in or could you engage in that will benefit your wellbeing?
Maybe you’re already a pro at taking rest regularly throughout the day. If not, perhaps you could start by taking 5 minutes each day to sit in the garden, nearby park or wood or by the beach and watch nature at work: it will not only be a balm for your body, mind and soul but is likely to result in a bountiful crop for you – increased creativity, productivity and fulfilment. Ovid would approve….