rest gets a bad wrap

Our minds and bodies were not designed to go a mile a minute, non-stop. 

School is a go-go-go type of atmosphere especially for teens when it comes to the end of a marking period.  Teens have projects due, exams to prepare for, essays to write, after school activities, homework, and sport competitions. 

They do not have down time and are busy from morning to night. Teens (and most adults) are not getting proper rest and tend to live in stress and overwhelm for weeks or months on end.  This has become the norm.  Look at us as parents….we did not get the memo either.  We are constantly running and utterly exhausted.  

Then finally……a break arrives:  Spring Break, Winter Beak, a long weekend!

You would think teens (and adults) would know how to relax but this is not the case.  You would think this would be natural for us.  We have mostly only heard the thoughts:  to work hard, keep at it, do not give up, keep going, don’t be lazy, and so on. I am not saying these thoughts are bad in any way, it is just that our teens (and adults) were not fed decent thoughts about rest.  We were not taught the importance of listening to our body and mind and doing what is best in that moment.  Were we taught that rest is for the weak.  There is no time to rest.   Have you noticed that even our vacations and breaks are filled with activities.

What I want to offer is ….what if REST is exactly what we all need.  Rest is where clarity comes in.  Rest is where our energy to keep going comes from.  Rest is an essential part of exceeding our goals.  Rest is the key part of giving it our best.

REST is a major player in accomplishing what we want.  

Teens are struggling in many areas and one is that they do not know how to properly care for themselves.  They do not understand what actions to take to begin to rest their bodies. 

First we all need to understand:

Rest is an essential part of our being. 

Rest increases our concentration and memory.

Rest decreases stress and overwhelm.

Rest helps with better judgment and helps with  finding solutions to cope

Rest helps with energy and peak performance.

Some practical ways to infuse rest in our days:

Keep your phone outside the bedroom one hour before bedtime and one hour after waking up.

Sit in silence for 10 minutes.

On vacation, make sure rest time is scheduled.  

Take 10- minute rest breaks throughout your day (no phone, no scrolling)

Sit in nature

Walk in nature

Turn off the tv one hour before bedtime.

Prioritize sleep.

And try on these thoughts: 

The more I rest the more productive I am.

Resting will give me energy for when I need it.

Rest helps me gain a better perspective.

The more I rest the better I feel.

The more rest I get the more focused and energized I am.

The more you practice rest the more your teen will catch on!  Show them the way!