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The Power of Rest: Unlocking Your Full Potential
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You might think that taking time to rest just helps you feel less tired (well, it does), but there are so many more benefits to taking time out of your busy day or routine to slow down, to do less, to do nothing and rest your body (and mind) — ranging from physical health like muscle repair and improved immune system function; mental health like reducing stress and improving mood regulation; and brain health — improved cognitive function.
I’m someone who always feels like they have to be doing something. Keeping busy — always having something on the go. Though one of my favourite pastimes is reading, so when I’m doing that I guess that’s a form of rest. But otherwise I’m busy working — either at my day job, or writing stuff for here. Or I’m exercising — doing yoga, out walking on my lunch break during the work week, or out walking our dog, or going for a run, or most recently doing strength training as part of my exercise routine — sometimes I’m doing yoga, strength training and going for a run all in the same day!
But in the last couple weeks I’ve been prioritizing rest, by going to sleep early (8pm-ish — and sleeping longer than normal — til around 7am). So during the weekends i’ve…
