Stress and Rest Cycles

As a society,  the US is great at optimising stress,  but terrible at allowing for rest.  

Yes,  revving yourself to get up and go can lead to achievement.  But not giving yourself downtime to recover,  can lead to burnout. 

Stress and Rest is a term that health advocates use often.  You want to stress your body (exercise) or stress your mind (challenging work)  but our rest options are often not really rest - we drink and smoke,  to relax,  but they are not true relaxants.  Or we pride ourselves on only needing 6 hours sleep,  never really giving our bodies a chance for true rest/recovery. 

If you are tired/exhausted but unable to sleep,  if you feel jittery and distracted,  it means that you are not getting enough rest.  I don't say that to stress you out more! But to give you some focus.  Don't reach for more stress,  instead start focusing on what rest works for you.  For some it's walks in the park,  or listening to an audio book,  journaling or laughing with friends. 

Whatever works for you, prioritize it more and your rest cycles will become more nourishing.