By Susan Wilking Horan
REST FOR THE WEARY
7 Important Benefits OF Rest
With a sigh of relief and a breath of fresh air, it’s May and Spring is finally here!
Spring is always a time of new beginnings and second chances. It’s a time to re-evaluate our goals, plans and dreams. A time to plant the seeds and lay the groundwork for the year ahead and all the things we hope to accomplish.
For many of us, this Spring is particularly welcome in light of a rather long winter and a past year filled with challenges and obstacles.
Here in the United States, our friends in Texas and Florida experienced unprecedented storms and floods. Along the cold and snow-bound east coast, many thought this Spring would never come. And, in my state of California, we fought and survived the largest wildfires in our state’s history.
On top of this, we all have faced our own personal challenges, have suffered loss and have battled our own private wars in one way or another.
There is, indeed, a lot of work to do this Spring. Rebuilding. Restoring. Reassessing what we have, what we want and what we need.
Recovery in all its forms takes an enormous amount of time, energy, mental strength and emotional stability.
Yet in the midst of renewal – in the midst of trying to repair and overcome life’s inevitable chaos and confusion -- it’s essential to take care of ourselves. We simply cannot take care of anything or anyone else properly unless and until we take care of ourselves first.
This is a simple reminder to all of us about the importance of rest. The importance of stopping once in a while, of taking a deep breath and reflecting quietly before we move forward.
Briefly, let’s review the 7 BENEFITS OF REST ESSENTIAL TO WELL-BEING:
1) Rest lowers our heart rate and blood pressure giving our cardiovascular system a much-needed break from the stress and strain of facing an emergency.
2) A few minutes of relaxation will reduce the muscle aches, tension and stiffness we are bound to experience from the physical labor of cleaning up, restoring and rebuilding.
3) Rest helps improve our immune system to help fight off illness or disease we might face in the aftermath of a disaster.
4) Once rested, our bodies will experience improved physical efficiency and more energy in
With a sigh of relief and a breath of fresh air, it’s May and Spring is finally here!
Spring is always a time of new beginnings and second chances. It’s a time to re-evaluate our goals, plans and dreams. A time to plant the seeds and lay the groundwork for the year ahead and all the things we hope to accomplish.
For many of us, this Spring is particularly welcome in light of a rather long winter and a past year filled with challenges and obstacles.
Here in the United States, our friends in Texas and Florida experienced unprecedented storms and floods. Along the cold and snow-bound east coast, many thought this Spring would never come. And, in my state of California, we fought and survived the largest wildfires in our state’s history.
On top of this, we all have faced our own personal challenges, have suffered loss and have battled our own private wars in one way or another.
There is, indeed, a lot of work to do this Spring. Rebuilding. Restoring. Reassessing what we have, what we want and what we need.
Recovery in all its forms takes an enormous amount of time, energy, mental strength and
emotional stability.
Yet in the midst of renewal – in the midst of trying to repair and overcome life’s inevitable chaos and confusion -- it’s essential to take care of ourselves. We simply cannot take care of anything or anyone else properly unless and until we take care of ourselves first.
This is a simple reminder to all of us about the importance of rest. The importance of stopping once in a while, of taking a deep breath and reflecting quietly before we move forward.
Briefly, let’s review the 7 BENEFITS OF REST ESSENTIAL TO WELL-BEING:
1) Rest lowers our heart rate and blood pressure giving our cardiovascular system a much-needed break from the stress and strain of facing an emergency.
2) A few minutes of relaxation will reduce the muscle aches, tension and stiffness we are bound to experience from the physical labor of cleaning up, restoring and rebuilding.
3) Rest helps improve our immune system to help fight off illness or disease we might face in the aftermath of a disaster.
4) Once rested, our bodies will experience improved physical efficiency and more energy