When we think of resting, beauty rest in particular, the first thing that comes to mind is sleep. Sleep is our bodies’ way of naturally self-replenishing after the usual drama of a day. There is nothing like catching some zzz’s when you are tired. You awake feeling refreshed inside and out; ready to take on the world again…They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing.
While sleep is the body’s natural way of resting, and probably the most important, there are times when sleep, for whatever reason, is just not an option. Maybe you are home babysitting, cooking or simply on the job. This is where rest comes in. Though not as beneficial as sleep, rest does wonders for the body. Think of it like this: sleep is the ice-cream and rest is the sprinkles and chocolate syrup you drizzle on top to add that extra bit of yum. Unlike sprinkles and chocolate syrup, this extra bit of yum is a NECESSITY.
Here are some not so obvious ways in which you could be cheating yourself out of beauty rest time.
Overworking
Once upon a time, working one 9-5 job was enough to pay the bills, cover other necessities, and even get you lovely vacations with the family. That’s almost no longer the case these days. So, instead of stretching the dollar (which has pretty much lost all of its stretch), we pick up side hustles here and there to get some extra cash flowing in. Maybe it is not a side hustle. Maybe it is work you do at home on the weekends. The laundry that piles up during the week. Little cleaning here and there. Charity work and volunteering. Just as a car needs gas, our body needs energy to keep going and once that energy is done it can only be refilled by sleep or some proper rest. It would be great if our gas tanks refilled themselves but unfortunately they do not. Likewise our bodies. What I’ve realized is that it all comes down to taking “time-outs” when needed during the week to indulge in a hobby or two and not pile up everything for the weekend or any given day.
Multi-Tasking
There are times when the day just never seems to have enough hours and it is tempting to juggle a million and one things at a time, but you can only do so much at once without sending your brain into overdrive. According to ladders.com , “various studies have shown that multitasking increases our brain’s production of cortisol,” (a.k.a the stress hormone). The minute we become stressed and mentally fatigued, anxiety builds up. This anxiety builds up piles of stress.
Not only does stress affect your sleep cycle but it interrupts the mind’s rest time. Instead of relaxing and enjoying things in the moment, we get agitated and begin mentally planning things for day’s sometimes even weeks ahead. While nothing is wrong with planning, something is definitely wrong if you find yourself using your rest time to plan. Is that any way to rest? Whoever said Rome was not built in a day, said it for a reason. Get some help with your tasks, if you can, or prioritize them and tick them off one by one on your to do list. Mental fatigue is a bit harder to recover from than physical fatigue. Do yourself a favor and finish up/pause one task before moving on to something else.
Not Enough Water
When I first realized that drinking adequate amounts of water affected my performance during the day, I was legit shocked but pleasantly surprised. I know what you are thinking: how can drinking water dictate how much rest I get throughout the day? It didn’t dawn on me that simply changing my water drinking habits could go such a far way. The short story: a lack of fluids can make you sluggish, irritable, and off your game. Consequently, try to focus on drinking plenty of non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic fluids regularly throughout the day. We’re not saying you should ditch coffee or wine, what we’re saying is: aim for a balance with water. While coffee is one of the main carriers of caffeine, remember to also look out for tea bags, dark sodas, chocolates and pastries that have high caffeine content. So, guzzle up your H2O at intervals during the day because going to bed even mildly dehydrated can disrupt your sleep. “Dehydration causes your mouth and nasal passages to become dry, setting you up for sleep-disruptive snoring, a parched throat and hoarseness in the morning,” (Sleepfoundation.org).
Bad Energy
Energy is contagious and this is exactly why you do not want to be hanging around or spending time with just anybody. There is a certain group of people that are what I call ‘energy vampires’. No matter how happy you are before spending time with them at the end of it all you leave feeling drained. You become anxious, constantly thinking about what they said, second guessing yourself, edgy, nervous, picky, miserable…and the list goes on. Ladies, these are not the persons you want to spend time with, or even to have in your space. This is a no go. . I’ve mentioned a lot of physical things so far, but it is important to remember that mental rest is also important. Find friends who put your mind at ease, spread positive vibes, celebrate you for you and, most importantly, friends who do not trigger negative energy. Quarrels and disagreements happen once in a while. That’s normal. But if quarrels and disagreements happen on a constant basis, some change needs to be made.
Using Devices Before Bed-Time
We’re all probably a little guilty of this one. Whether it is reading news, chatting with your girlfriend, scrolling on social media or having pillow talk with bae, we get those devices out and we are scrolling away, sometimes even when we’ve already spent most of the day doing that. So, apart from the fact that Blue Light is harmful to our eyes, it also restrains the production of melatonin. Melatonin, (the sleep hormone) controls your sleep-wake cycle (aka circadian rhythm). A lack of this hormone makes it difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next day. Think about it, let’s say you saw a ‘strongly’ worded email or a disturbing image. It is going to be harder for you to relax and go to sleep. Even if it is not upsetting content. Keeping your mind engaged by scrolling through your phone can trick your brain into thinking it needs to stay awake.
No Scheduled Rest Time
Breaks are important and can be the fine line between going through the day like a zombie from the Walking Dead and being actively engaged in all that you do. It is official: rest should be a mainstay item on your to-do-list…well maybe not literally, but it NEEDS to be included and done. Try to take 5 minutes to step away from your desk occasionally. Schedule a spa day. Use your vacation days. Play with the kids. Visit friends or family. Do something outside of the usual humdrum of routine work that makes you happy. Your body will thank you for it.
‘Sleep is the perfection of repose; the most complete rest.’ If sleep is not possible, at the very least give yourself permission to rest from whatever causes you to feel overwhelmed. If you find yourself too immersed in your daily routine, unburden your warrior crown and see how fruitful and engaged your mind becomes. These aren’t normal times, there isn’t a how-to-manual for what we are going through, but we hope these tips will help to nudge you in the direction of the rest and serenity you so deserve.
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