Life Hack #4 – Remember to R&R

What does R&R stand for? Let me answer that question for you. It stands for rest and revive.

Our bodies, which are constantly in motion and working to keep our precious bodies healthy and happy, need time to rest and revive. This is why getting the proper amount of sleep and rest is particularly important. We, as individuals, are programmed to fatigue sometimes, when we are overworked, not getting enough sleep, or not getting sleep at all.

Though we all say that we can sleep when we are dead, this is something that could especially become detrimental towards our health. Studies have shown that without the proper amount of rest, not only are we unable to revive, but we find ourselves gaining weight, losing weight, getting groggy, and getting grumpy. It even from time to time affects our ability to memorize and remember things.

Resting plays a large role in our body, and in order to be that happy and healthy versions of ourselves, we need to be resting every night.

Some days sleeping just does not cut it, in fact, some days I find myself exhausted even after a good night’s sleep. This is our body telling us that we either are stressed, overwhelmed, and perhaps not treating our bodies correctly.

Taking time off, or away from our rigorous schedules, is something that we unfortunately cannot do very frequently, as most of us are in school, or at work all day. It’s truly hard to find time sometimes to rest and revive.

Every day, I try to take about 30 minutes in the morning to revive my system after a night’s rest. I usually simply lay down and look at the not-so-empty walls of my studio apartment, thinking about how lucky I am that I have found time to relax.

Taking a small portion of your day, morning, or afternoon, or evening, to simply just unwind and seperate yourself from your daily stressors plays a huge role in feeling more rejuvenated, happy, and healthy.

We all need to rejuvenate sometimes, and you truly should not be so hard on yourself, if you just can’t seem to move out of your bed. In this fast-paced society, catching a break is truly hard, and sometimes, it leads me to believe that we should all have a vacation period at least once every few months.

Though taking breaks is frowned upon by society, it is one of the most vital ways to stay sane and happy. The idea that we, as individuals, have to constantly be in motion and working, or doing something, is absolutely absurd. I understand the need to want to make the best out of our lives, however, taking time off to relax and revive will leave you in a much better headspace.

Recently, I took a break from school, friends, and even from my full-time job. And, man does time go by fast when you are resting and reviving. Similarly, I also took time to be away from my phone, another stressor that does not allow us to rest and revive ( I actually just broke my phone yet again). I currently am taking a break from all these stressors and simply focusing on reviving myself to get ready for another year of grueling activities.

There’s always time to rest and revive. And, if you’re struggling to find some time to rest and revive, then I would suggest reconsidering your work-load, your personal life, and other aspects of your life that do not seem to be allowing you this freedom.

Take a breath every once in a while, and just breathe. Even if it is only for ten minutes, making time for R&R is underrated, and unacknowledged.

How you spend your time resting and reviving is all up to you, as everyone has different ways they spend time unwinding. I try to utilize my free time journaling, blogging, coloring, hiking, practicing photography and/or napping.

How do you R&R?

xo,

Aichan Tewahade

 

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