Why do we need to rest?
Resting can:
- help the body repair
- give us more energy
- make it easier for us to learn and pay attention to ourselves and others
We don't always have to sleep to rest. We can rest in different ways at any time.
Resting our minds
It's one thing to rest our bodies - we can just lay down or sit on a comfy chair. But sometimes it can feel tricky to rest our minds. Maybe you have lots of different thoughts buzzing about.
You might wonder how you can rest with everything that's going on in your mind.
Video – Advice on resting
Wellbeing professional, Lorna Walker, talks us through an exercise which can help us rest and relax.
We all know that rest is good for us.
It can help the body heal, it can give us more energy and make it easier for us to learn and pay attention to ourselves and others.
One thing it's helpful to know is that we don't always have to sleep to rest.
We can rest any time.
It's one thing to rest our bodies: we can just lay down and sit on a comfy chair, but sometimes it can feel tricky to rest our minds.
Maybe you're always thinking of the things that you have to do, or what your friends or others in your life are doing or thinking. Maybe you have so many different thoughts buzzing about.
So how can you rest with everything that's going on in your mind?
We are going to do an exercise together now that can help the mind to rest. And the best way to rest the busy mind is to pay attention to the sensations in the body.
So start by closing your eyes if that feels comfy.
Begin by scrunching your eyes up as you breathe in… and then hold for a moment… and then just let them soften and smoothe as you breathe out… and just feel how it feels for your eyes to have a rest for a moment.
Then hunch your shoulders, bringing them right up to your ears as you breathe in… and then keep them hunched… and then as you breathe out, let your shoulders drop gently down.
Now you can make your hands into tight fists and hold it, really squeezing tightly, and then let your fingers loosen slowly and open as you breathe out… and just let your hands rest for a while.
Finally, curl up your toes really tight and hold for a few moments… and then as you breathe out, slowly uncurl them and let them relax and completely soften.
Now, if it feels comfortable sit with your eyes closed for a few moments.
You can feel your breath moving through the whole body.
The in-breath might make the shoulders rise up or the belly expand and then just feel how the whole body naturally releases tightness on the out-breath, naturally rests.
If you feel your mind wondering or all those busy thoughts are returning, that's ok. Just notice them and go back to your breath. Just for a few moments really enjoy doing nothing at all… not having to think about anything or fix any problems, not having to work hard on anything, just resting as you are for a few moments.
Then open your eyes when you're ready. Maybe have a stretch.
And remember that even short little rests can be really good for us.
Activity – Muscle relaxation exercise
Try Lorna's practical wellbeing activity to help you rest.
A great way to rest the busy mind is to pay attention to the sensations in the body.
We can do this by learning to relax different muscles in the body.
If you have any physical injuries or conditions that may cause muscle pain, don’t tense the muscle in that area.
Image caption, Scrunch up your eyes
Begin by scrunching your eyes up as you breathe in. Hold this for a moment. Then let them soften and smoothe as you breathe out.
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Step 1
Scrunch your eyes up as you breathe in. Hold this for a moment. Let them soften and smoothe as you breathe out.
Step 2
Hunch your shoulders. Bring your shoulders right up to your ears as you breathe in. Keep them hunched and then, as you breathe out, let your shoulders drop gently down.
Step 3
Make your hands into tight fists. Hold it, squeezing tightly, and then let your fingers loosen slowly and open as you breathe out.
Step 4
Curl up your toes really tight. Hold for a moment. As you breathe out, slowly uncurl them and let them relax and completely soften.
Step 5
Sit with your eyes closed for a few moments. Enjoy doing nothing at all, not having to think about anything or fix any problems, not having to work hard on anything, just resting as you are for a few moments.
More to learn – Rest
Learn more about how we can find more rest and relaxation during our very busy lives.
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