Rest is not a reward, it is your right.
Exploring the benefits and barriers to prioritizing rest (IRL)
In the first article of this 4-part exploration of rest, I invited you to look beyond simply viewing rest as sleep, and invited you to consider rest from a more expansive lens. This more expansive lens includes the 7 types of rest (physical, mental, emotional, sensory, creative, social, spiritual) and expanded physical rest beyond just sleep (aka to things that promote physical recovery like gentle stretching or even massage). If you missed it, you can check it out here.
This week I want to circle back and be a bit more explicit about the why behind the focus on rest (ie. why this might be important to consider and possibly prioritize in your health practices).
Why rest (aka the benefits of rest)
When most of us think about getting sufficient rest, the go-to benefits are typically focused on the physical benefits of sleep. And if you’ve connected the dots to how you feel when you’re not sleeping well (difficulty concentrating, low energy, mood impacts) it’s possible you’ve extended the importance of good sleep to mental/ emotional well-being. But as we’ve been considering, there is so much more to good rest - and thus the benefits of it!
Here are the “take-home” benefits you might want to consider:
Physical benefits: rest supports tissue repair, reduced inflammation, muscle recovery, blood pressure regulation/ heart health, immune system function, and digestive functioning (nerd out here, here, and here).
Mental/ emotional benefits: improved cognitive function and focus (clearer thinking, improved problem solving/ decision making), memory consolidation, improved expression and processing emotions (aka emotional agility and resilience), improved capacity to regulate and respond to stressors (nerd out here, here, and here).
So if there are all these awesome reasons to prioritize rest, why don’t we?
What we’re up against to rest
Internalized narratives and expectations
What do you believe about rest (in all it’s forms)? Where did those beliefs come from? Most of us pick up and internalize the beliefs we have about many things from our family of origin and the dominant culture (at least until they’re challenged). For many folks living in western culture these dominant messages are rooted in capitalist driven productivity culture where the pace of work and outcome-focus doesn’t account or allow for rest to be prioritized. These dominant messages may have been reinforced by your family of origin, which makes for a deeply internalized message: rest is lazy (moralizing), “pointless,” and a waste of time.
Trauma history/ Defense patterns
This could be a whole separate article (and perhaps one day I’ll write it), but the impact of trauma (“big T” and “little t”) should not be discounted in the resistance to rest. While this won’t be globally true for all folks with trauma (every body responds differently), trauma can lead to hyperarousal which can make it difficult to relax. Layer in that many folks with trauma experience sleep disturbances, and the impact of those sleep disturbances and we have another “double down” effect making rest tricky! Add to this that for some folks, trauma leads to defenses or coping patterns like perfectionism and hyperproductivity or hyperindependence, and we have a perfect storm of rest resistance.
Anxiety/ Internalized hyperactivity (ADHD)
Though anxiety may have psychological roots in trauma, there are also biological roots, including neurochemical ones as can be seen in ADHD (among others). Though the “flop” or “collapse” some folks who experience anxiety (or internalized hyperactivity) experience could be mistakenly be viewed as “resting,” for those experiencing the collapse, it is far from restful and is often the consequence of rest resistance. Part of what makes rest difficult for those with anxiety (regardless of its roots) is the heightened nervous system arousal and related physiologic and psychological stress response - the associated biochemical/ hormonal influx, the associated racing thoughts, and physical discomfort (just to name a few). For many, the constant “productivity” is more a defense pattern of distraction than a resistance or devaluing of rest.
Systemic oppression
This is yet another factor that could lead to a whole article, but for now, I’ll simply say this. The world is not as easy for some folks as it is for others. Racism, sexism, classism, ableism … the list goes on. It is genuinely harder for folks experiencing systemic oppression to rest. For most (if not all) they need to work harder and longer to achieve the same outcomes (if the same outcome is even possible, which in many cases it isn’t, because #oppression). And while rest is a fundamental right (literally a human right as defined by the United Nations), we still have a lot of work to do to make that a fundamental human right accessible to all. So if you’re among the many people impacted by systemic oppression, please hear this: you deserve the right to rest, simply because you are a human being. I recognize that you’re fighting an upstream battle to take that rest. Acknowledging that (and fighting for your right to equity and systemic change), is vital to this conversation, and my commitment to you. I think it’s important to explicitly name what we’re up against because doing so, raising insight and awareness is critical to changing the system (or at the very least impacting how you might feel about your challenges implementing restful practices - it’s not you, it’s the system).
The pace and realities of life
I recognize that this is ultimately incorporated and integrated with the above factors, but I wanted to make it explicit. As a working mom with a full plate, I want to acknowledge that life is busy. Between work, family, community, and social commitments our collective plates are full. Add to that the constant “connection” we have through our devices with all their bings and pings and the never-ending barage of bad news (real and not) that is activating beyond belief…it’s no wonder the logistics of “prioritizing rest” are confounding! It’s legit hard to figure out how to make it happen (even if you see the value). So I wanted to explicitly say, I get it. You are not alone if you struggle (most folks I talk to do).
This is not a comprehensive list.
There are so many (more) reasons, too many to name. But these are the big ones I see personally and professionally. And it’s been my experiencing that there is some agency that comes from naming our barriers - truly seeing them for what they are so that we can either work with or around them, or find some acceptance on the path to getting our needs met.
TLDR;
Rest is good for our physical body as well as for our mental and emotional well-being. But even if we “get” that we’re up against a lot to make it happen (and many of the factors at play aren’t in our control).
But some factors are in our control.
We can get curious and challenge the narratives that don’t serve us. We can advocate in big and small ways to change the systems. We can insist upon equitable access to rest. We can take up space and time to practice rest. And as we redefine the cultural narratives in our social groups, cultural groups, and communities, we impact systemic change for the good of all.
Rest activism one mindful minute, 5-minute nap, or 10-minute pause in nature at a time.
Pause + reflect:
As you read through the barriers to rest?
What feels “true” for you?
Is there something I’ve missed? Something you’d add? Please do (share in the comments below).
What might it be like to explore these barriers to better understand, possibly heal your resistance to rest?
Reminder: lean in with self-compassion and curiosity.
These patterns weren’t developed overnight, nor will they diminish. Begin by noticing they’re there…and lean into challenging them as you feel capable. You might find it helpful to work with a therapist to unpack and process internalized narratives and/or trauma responses.
In the next article I’ll be inviting you to check in on your relationship with rest on a more individual level using something I call a “compassionate rest audit.” If the word audit scares you, consider it a compassionate rest reflection. It’s all about leaning into your curiosity and checking in… on you!
Onward in thriving,
Gillian
PS. If you want to nerd out on some reading material about the social justice lens of rest, check out Rest is Resistance: a Manifesto by Tricia Hersey.
PPS. Have any other barriers you’ve noticed that you want to share? Comment below - the more we notice and understand our barriers… the more we’ll be able to do something to work with them!