... which are essential for a healthy body.
Rest and activity go hand in hand as part of a healthy lifestyle. Managing a correct balance between the two is what allows us to use our body’s resources and restore them with adequate amounts of resting time and nutrition.
When we rest, we recharge and repair our body, a key factor in sustaining mental health, physical health and well-being. Having a good sleeping routine and consistent schedule is important to produce the right amount of hormones at night that our body needs to function optimally.
Additionally, allowing for mental rest breaks throughout the day can also considerably increase our performance and well-being. This concept is known as ‘waking rest’. Most people today spend too much time engaged in cognitive mental abilities, in a fast-paced society in which everyone needs to operate in a ‘go’ mode.
Taking a moment in the day to unplug and disconnect from screens, to stay in silence and letting thoughts arise (through the practice of meditation or other silent and low stimulating activity) can replicate the same neurophysiological rhythms found in sleep and bring many cognitive benefits that will enhance our physical and mental health.
And finally, as everyone knows, regular physical activity is one of the most important thing that you can do for your health. Physical activity brings immediate and long terms benefits such as improved thinking and cognition, stress relief, benefits on heart health, bones and muscles, a lift in energy and mood, as well as an overall improvement of our overall well-being.
Finding the right balance between proper rest and regular physical activity will allow you to maximize your health potential and tremendously improve the quality of your life.