The importance of rest
Ivy Griffin
Rest and downtime are essential for all humans, whether or not we get that message in our fast-paced, multi-tasking culture. No being can be focused, alert, and active all the time. Rest provides the yin to the yang of busyness. It offers us balance and restoration so that we can resume all that we need to do.
This is especially true for highly sensitive people (HSPs). A significant part of our trait is being very aware of our surroundings and being alert for signs of trouble. We notice the subtleties that others may not, like recognizing that a friend is sad even though they haven’t said or done anything different, noticing someone’s new haircut, or pointing out a detail on a project that was overlooked. It takes a lot of energy to be absorbing so much information all the time, whether we realize it or not. As HSPs, our nervous systems are also very sensitive to all this information that we take in, and we’re affected more by our boss’s bad mood, watching a violent movie, or listening to the upsetting things in the world on the news. The difficult feelings that arise can linger with us for hours or days, and all that feeling takes a toll on our energy level.
It’s easy for us to become overwhelmed and overstimulated by all this input. This is where rest comes in. I think of stress or overwhelm like a glass of water. The more stressed we are, the more water is in the glass. Once the glass is full, any little drop of water that’s added is going to make the glass overflow. But, each time we do something that allows us to rest and rejuvenate, we pour water out of the glass (or maybe we drink it to hydrate ourselves or use it to water our plants :) ). We have to make sure that as the glass fills with the overwhelm of life, which will continue to happen daily, we’re consciously taking steps to lessen the load.
How?
Prioritize sleep. As I’ve come to understand being an HSP more, I’ve begun to value my sleep even more too. I used to feel like sleep was a necessary waste of time. Now, I realize that I feel so much better and more energized after a good night’s rest. I’m able to think more clearly, problem-solve better, and have energy for my day. This makes sense too because we know that sleep is incredibly restorative to our bodies. We need time for our bodies to heal and recover from all that we do mentally and physically during our waking hours. Getting enough sleep is even a tool to boost our immune systems. And, I’ve (somewhat grudgingly) come to accept that I need a solid 9ish hours of sleep to feel truly rested, which is similar to what I've heard from other HSPs about needing a little more sleep than the not-as-sensitive person. While I’m not always able to get this much sleep, I really appreciate the times that I do, and I try to prioritize getting to bed at a consistently reasonable hour, even when other things are pulling at my attention. It may not be possible to always get as much sleep as you need (and if it is, that’s wonderful!), but prioritizing sleep in your life can be a game-changer.
Do activities that revitalize you. It sounds so simple but can be easy to overlook. Every day we need to do things that refresh us, or add water to our glass, so to speak. If you’re more introverted, these are likely to be solitary pursuits or activities with a close friend or loved one. It might be taking a hot bath or shower, curling up with your favorite blanket and a good book, going for a walk, cooking, etc. If you’re more extroverted (yes, about 30% of HSPs are), you may need to involve other people in your revitalizing activities like getting dinner with friends, taking an art class, or going to a trivia night. It doesn’t really matter what the activities are. It just matters that they feel good to you and create a sense of feeling revitalized or re-energized. Just like we need healthy food and water to fuel our physical body, we need enjoyable activities to fuel our emotional selves.
In our society, rest is not usually a sexy concept. However, it is vital for everyone. So, let’s practice caring for our sensitive souls--giving ourselves what we need and even modeling to our world how rest opens up healing, creativity, energy and improves our lives and our well-being.
May you rest well, dear sensitive one,
Ivy
Ivy Griffin, LMFT # 51714, Director
Thrive Therapy & Counseling
1614 X St., Suite A
Sacramento, CA 95818
916-287-3430
thrivetherapyandcounseling.com