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Volume #26: The Importance of Rest (And Why We Avoid It)

Volume #26: The Importance of Rest (And Why We Avoid It)

Isabella from Simplish
June 06, 2024

❝

The opposite of rest isn’t work...it’s burnout.

Nicola McCaffrey

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When you're busy, there's nothing more difficult than getting good rest.

Carving out the time to wind down is hard enough - but actually relaxing when you swear you can hear the clock ticking? It’s no wonder so many people struggle to slow down.

If you struggle to hit pause on a regular basis, you may feel overwhelmed by guilt and frustration when trying (and failing) to rest 😵‍💫

I totally feel you. And…

Don't overthink it too much: Rest is necessary, and good - and can even be enjoyable (!) with a little training.

When stress is high, sometimes you need to get crappy rest before you get the good stuff.

(Source: weathering a week of thunderstorms in a leaky tent last week at a mindfulness training, and then finally coming home to my bed… 💤)

In the Flow State this June, the month of solstice, we’ll explore the importance of rest in all of its beautiful forms; hello sleeping, napping, quiet time, screen-free breaks, and slowness!

Around the world, the solstice reminds us that human cycles of activity and rest are guided by nature:

🌑 In the Southern Hemisphere, the June solstice marks the shortest day and the dark depths of winter
☀️ In the Northern Hemisphere, where I live, the June solstice marks the longest day and the bright peak of summer
🌐 At the equator, the length of days remains consistent year-round. The position of the sun does change on the solstices, though, meaning that shadows cast by the sun at noon are longer on these days than on any day of the year

Wherever you live, though, there are some common reasons why we avoid rest - even when we need it most.

Keep reading for the full article ⬇️

Why We Avoid Rest (When We Know We Need It)

1. Excessive Light Exposure

In both the form of natural sunlight and artifical blue light emitted by screens, excessive light exposure can significantly disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm - leading to difficulties winding down throughout the day and getting to sleep at night. Getting lots of sunlight during late hours can delay the onset of melatonin production, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. Similarly, blue light from screens inhibits melatonin secretion more effectively than other wavelengths, tricking the brain into thinking it’s still daytime after a long scrolling session on your phone. Over time, this disruption can lead to chronic sleep deprivation, contributing to a host of health issues, including impaired cognitive function, mood disorders, and a weakened immune system.

2. Caregiving Responsibilities

When you are the primary caregiver for children, elderly relatives, or even pets, your own needs often take a back seat. The 24/7 demands of caregiving can make taking a break feel like a luxury. You might worry about neglecting your duties, feel selfish for wanting to, or even experience judgment from others for prioritizing your own needs. Even when you do find time to rest, the need to be constantly available for others can lead to endless interruptions that make rest pretty stressful.

3. Digital Addiction

In 2017, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced that the company's #1 competitor was sleep.⁶

Think about that for a moment…

Whether you're binging on Netflix, checking emails, social media, or news feeds - or just staring into the abyss of your screen - unplugging is one of the greatest barriers for many people.

Staying in this constant cycle of engagement late into the night not only disrupts your natural sleep cycles, but also alters your perception of urgency and importance. If you feel like every notification is a demand for your immediate attention, limiting your screen time can be a powerful practice to reclaim needed rest.

4. Productivity Guilt

"Productivity guilt" is what happens when you internalize the myth that equates productivity and self-worth. If you find yourself measuring your value by how much you accomplish, you might struggle with guilt when you try to relax. You might associate relaxation with being unproductive and worry relentlessly that breaking your momentum will lead to procrastination. Productivity guilt can lead you to justify your need to take breaks (hint: no justification is needed besides your aching butt) or force yourself to "earn" them only when you’ve reached a certain threshold of productivity.

5. Social Pressure

In communities that glorify hustle culture, being constantly busy is worn as a badge of honor and rest is often sold as a luxury vacation. This culture essentially rejects rest as laziness or wasted time, forcing those who question the constant business to defend their work ethic. If you're in an environment where there's social pressure to always be "on", you might feel uncomfortable relaxing in front of others or taking time to yourself to unwind.

6. Intrusive thoughts

If you have anxiety, you know all too well that quiet moments can ironically amplify stress and make you dread relaxation. When you slow down, your mind might start racing, filling the emptiness with a flood of worries and worst-case scenarios. This relentless mental activity turns what should be a restful experience into a time of heightened alertness and discomfort, steering you away from the very relaxation you need to manage your anxiety effectively.

Schedule Rest with the Simplish App

Simplish is a beautiful day planning app packed with tools to help you document everything you need to do, so you can get the rest you need. Create and manage to-do lists, delegate tasks in shared workspaces, and sync the app to your work, personal and family calendars to get a total overview of your commitments - and keep your head clear when the day is done.