7 Strategies to learn how to rest

In my book, ‘50 estratégias para mulheres sem tempo’, I recommend, to rest and relax, a set of actions to take care of the body, the mind and the emotions that I describe below: learn to switch off, have hobbies, take care of your night rest, take naps to recharge your batteries, drink water, learn to breathe, laugh!

1. Learn how to switch off

To learn to switch off you need to learn to take breaks and interruptions in what you do habitually and cultivate a state of flow. For Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, people experience a state of greater flow, purpose, meaning and satisfaction when their leisure time and holidays are occupied with challenging tasks that allow effortless absorption, rather than indolent, purposeless pleasures. Any leisure activity and/or work (paid and unpaid) can become an experience of flow when there is total concentration of attention on what one is doing and “in the here and now”, when one loses the notion of time and what you do is an end in itself rather than a means. Two studies cited by Alex Soojung-kim Pang in his book ‘Rest’ (2017) demonstrate the importance of changing environment and having regular holidays. In a study of commercial pilots, Macquarie University psychologist Ben Searle found that the rest felt by pilots increased when they stayed in hotels far enough away from airports. Another study in 2015 found that 71% of workers who took regular holidays reported being satisfied with their work, compared to 17% of workers who did not take regular holidays.

2. Have hobbies

A hobby allows you to exercise peace of mind and maintain the physical and mental plasticity you need in your daily life. Rest at the end of the day and at the end of the week helps to calm down. Doing fun things that you enjoy, being with those who are important to you in your free time balance and give you another vitality and meaning to life. A good way to relax and reduce stress in the long term is to get involved in a fun, quiet sport or hobby. If you spend all day competing, you will benefit from an opposite activity in your free time (and vice versa). Slow physical activities such as sailing or hiking are advised for those who spend their working time pressured by competition and lack of resources (time needed, adequate equipment, enough people) to accomplish what is important. Reading novels, watching television or socialising can also be very positive. And, most important of all, don’t forget to have fun, to maintain a playful dimension in your life and in any hobby you have.

3. Take care of your night’s rest

Night rest has enormous regenerative power and is fundamental in maintaining emotional balance, among others. Man has a biological clock that regulates sleep patterns, alertness, cell regeneration and the production of melatonin (a substance that produces drowsiness and lowers body temperature). When functioning correctly, the release of melatonin occurs in opposition to sunlight and sleep is more restorative.

4. Take naps to recharge your batteries

Short naps can increase your personal performance and efficiency[1] . According to a study published by the University of Colorado, the absence of a sleep break in the afternoon translates into greater anxiety and lower problem-solving capacity, both in adults and children. To reinvigorate energy in a short time, take a 15 to 20 minute nap. A nap of 30 to 60 minutes, although not sufficiently restorative, will help to “recharge your batteries”. To complete your night’s rest, take a 60 to 90 minute nap, which corresponds to a sleep cycle.

5. Drink water

Headaches and signs of tiredness are sometimes the result of poor hydration of your body. Water provides the necessary environment for the integration of physical and mental functions. The water still increases energy and the ability to concentrate. Unless otherwise stated by your doctor or dietician, you should drink one 250 ml glass of water for every 10 kg of your body weight.

6. Learn how to breathe

Breathing properly is knowing how to find a rhythm for inhalation and exhalation either to relax or to energise. For the purpose of relaxation, use the most basic form shown here on a daily basis and focus your attention on your breathing: •        Breathe in through your nose, make six breaths in while counting to six; •        Hold your breath and count to four; •       Exhale, until you finish counting to ten, and expel all the air.

7. Laugh

Laughter is the physical expression of a feeling or emotion (joy, sadness, fear or anger). Laughter relieves tension and 90% of the time we laugh, there is no particular reason or motive. Just like in gymnastics, every time you laugh you stimulate different parts of your body. Laughing, according to a study carried out by the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore, causes an expansion of the blood vessels, and thus increases circulation. Laughter improves oxygenation of the brain, aids clarity of ideas and provides energy for general intellectual functions and concentration. By repeatedly pronouncing the sounds associated with laughter: for example, ah…eh…ih…oh; ahhhhh ehhhhhh preceded or succeeded by a few minutes of deep breathing in and out, you can relieve tension and unexpectedly feel or begin to see the situation differently, with more clarity and calm. A lot of physical and mental agitation stems from not paying attention to many elementary matters, such as sleeping and learning to relax on a daily basis. Stop, pay attention, breathe and do small exercises to recharge the energies you need to live with greater concentration, performance and satisfaction. What can you start doing daily to improve your physical, mental and emotional energy and the quality of your rest?