The Importance of Rest for Mental Health Genesis Counseling of South Tampa

When the topic of mental health arises, we are often left with a long list of things we can “do” to assist or improve our mental health. While there are a variety of actions and activities that are beneficial to our mental health, sometimes doing less is just as effective a remedy. Although the concept of rest in general seems easy, fewer and fewer of us have mastered that skill in a society that benefits from our constant productivity. If you’re looking for a handful of reasons to prioritize resting for mental health, keep reading. We’ve got you covered!

What is rest?

Oxford Languages says that rest means to “cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.” Although we may take time away from work, or choose to watch a movie instead of doing the dishes, there are a variety of ways our mind and body might continue to work without realizing it if we don’t remain aware and intentional about taking rest.

A good rule of thumb is to track the way you spend your time throughout your week. Are there ways you could be more efficient with your tasks to make more time for intentional rest? Rest is just one of many coping skills that can be used to improve your day-to-day approach to good mental health.

What are the benefits of rest for mental health?

Why rest in a “sleep when you’re dead” culture? There are plenty of reasons.

Resting for mental health can:

Help you think critically and solve problems
Boost your ability to be creative and look at things from another perspective
Help you manage your feelings and emotions
Prevent mental fatigue
Reduce stress
Promote relaxation

Resting isn’t only good for your mental health, but it has a long list of benefits for your physical health as well. Things like reduced cortisol, better blood pressure, and improved sleep are benefits you’ll never regret when prioritizing rest.

How often should I rest?

Knowing the importance of rest can help inform the decisions you make about how often you rest. Although any rest you can get is valuable, the benefits multiply when you make consistent time in your routine to do so. If you feel like you struggle to get enough rest, you’re not alone. Sometimes, it is up to us to be more efficient with our tasks or better stewards of our time in order to make time for rest. Other times, prioritizing rest comes with the lesson of learning how to ask for help. Our blog When To Ask For Support is a great resource to help you understand the benefits of asking for help when you need it, including when you need to make space for yourself to rest.

When it comes to how often you should rest, you are your own best guidebook. Some people need more or less rest than others and sometimes, you’ll even need more or less than is normal to you. Spending time to observe your routine, habits, and what your mind and body tell you is the best way to know how frequently you need to rest. Maybe you need to schedule an hour of intentional rest every day. Perhaps you need a couple of days a week where you take it a bit easier than other days. It may take some time to see what works best for your needs in combination with your daily demands. Whatever you decide, be sure to meet yourself with compassion as you try new things out and begin listening to your body and mind. If it asks for more rest than you thought you would need, it’s ok! Just think of how much better equipped you will be when it’s time to get back to work if you’re properly rested.

What are some good examples of rest?

There are a multitude of ways that someone can rest and it doesn’t always involve lying perfectly still or sleeping. Sometimes, you might even be moving your body so that your mind can drift off and relax a bit. There are different types of rest that can benefit your mental health such as mental rest, physical rest, and emotional or spiritual rest.

Mental rest might look like spending time alone or with people who make you feel happy and safe. It could also mean refraining from screen time, reading a book, or taking a short break to let your mind wander.

Physical rest may look like taking a nap, curling up for a movie, stretching, soaking in the tub, or going on an easy walk with a beautiful view.

Spiritual rest might mean journaling or doing a devotional. You could also meditate, pray, or spend time in thought. You might find it uncomfortable at first to sit with your feelings and thoughts if you’re not used to resting but it is important to listen to what your mind and body might be saying to you. Stillness is an easy way to practice listening.

No matter what type of rest you choose, remember that everything is a process. Sometimes rest will come easily, and sometimes it actually might take practice and intention. In those moments, resistance is usually a sign that you need your rest the most at that moment. Eventually, you’ll learn to enjoy rest more easily and find yourself coming up with more creative ways to enjoy rest. For more support restructuring your time and prioritizing rest, our therapists at Genesis Counseling of South Tampa can help you develop these skills and other ways to effectively manage your time and mental well-being. Contact us today to schedule!