Learning to Rest in a Busy World

The Bible admonish us to be diligent in our work as we pursue our livelihood, but also that we should not our work enslave us. In essence, it is advising us to learn to step back, take some break and make time leisure and rest to restore our bodies, minds, and souls.

Rest is a scarce resource for most of us. We spend more time in bed trying to improve our quality of sleep with books, apps, and gadgets. We're trying to squeeze hours out of 24 hours in a day. Every second counts when you're in a race against time.

Humans were created to rest and humans need rest to live healthier and happier lives. We all know we need to rest, but we often don't get the opportunity. The problem is more apparent in today's very busy world.

There is no limit to how much work you can do, yet the amount of time off you need is never enough. That’s because taking breaks makes you more productive during your work. Humans are made to work, but that doesn’t mean being on the job 24/7 is healthy or sustainable. It’s just natural for your brain, immune system, and cortisol levels.

Rest can reverse the course of illness
When it comes to lowering the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, depression, and heart disease, it may be possible in some cases to reverse the course.

A recent study in Mental Health shows that getting an hour-long restful sleep can significantly reduce symptoms of depression.

The study analyzed the results of 60 adults who were diagnosed with depression, and after an hour of sleep, scientists found that their symptoms had reduced by up to 50 percent. The findings prove that not only is enough sleep important, but also the right amount of restful sleep.

So, what does this mean for your brain? A good sleep can clear harmful proteins that form after the brain experiences stress, which could be why it's essential to getting through depression. "Sleep clears out the toxins, so it re-balances the chemicals in the brain," according to a research paper on mental health.

Rest enhance your mind, body and soul
Have you heard that by not getting enough sleep you put your health and mental performance at risk? It’s becoming easier to set your own sleep schedule, too. How we sleep and how we spend our days has a lot to do with health and well-being.

Another study published by the National Institute of Health of the united states government claims sleep deprivation may be more than just a headache. One of the most profound effects of poor sleep is the damage it has on the prefrontal cortex; the part of the brain that coordinates decision making and complex reasoning. This can lead to poor decision making, impaired concentration and attention, and increased impulsivity and anxiety which in turn may lead to depression and mood disorders. This, in turn, can lead to a greater risk of heart attacks and diabetes.

Here are some of the benefits of resting: better memory and concentration, improved problem-solving skills and creativity, stronger immune system and less irritability, increased productivity and more.

I guess the holiday avail everyone of us the chance to enjoy restful sleep for rejuvenation of our body. You know it's important to learn this habit of restful sleep, not just because it's time to sleep at night, but a purposeful and carefully planned sleeping time for the purpose of rest, for rejuvenation, for brain revitalization, and general wellbeing of the body.

I know that this is a topic that most of us already have some knowledge about. But what makes the difference in this article, is the depth of the information provided