Why Rest is Important for Healthy Living

Posted: September 08, 2019
By: weadmin

As much as we might all nurse a fantasy of being superhuman, where we go for extended periods of time without rest, our bodies were just not designed as such in real life. The reality is rest is important and we should strive to actively inculcate it into our lifestyles.

How Should We Rest?

Let’s take a moment to define rest. Rest means to refresh oneself, as by sleeping, lying down, or relaxing. It is one of the key components in the 8 Natural Laws to Healthy Living, because it is critically important to our wellbeing. Our bodies are not machines and should not be overworked. At least a day in the week should be set aside to rest.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that individuals between the ages of 18-25 get an average of 7-9 hours of sleep per day. This ensures optimum wellbeing and productivity. However, rest shouldn’t be limited to that; taking few minutes off of work at intervals during the work period also constitutes as rest. It can also be in form of relaxing and watching a movie, reading a book and so forth. Rest and sleep are closely intertwined. Sleep is the absolute form of rest the body can take.

Circadian Rhythm

When God created the earth and placed humanity in it, He designed it such that our bodies would be in sync with nature in order to get the best out of every period of the day. He created day and night and created systems in our bodies to function in line with nature. Hence, our bodies have a natural built-in rhythm or pattern of activities. This is known as the circadian rhythm. It is a 24-hour internal clock running and regulated by our brains.

How Circadian Rhythm Works

A major impact of the circadian rhythm is in the regulation of sleep-wake cycle and patterns. An undisturbed human circadian rhythm ensures that the individual gets as much rest and sleep as the body needs. The circadian rhythm regulates this through causing the body to respond to changes in light intensity. When the sun sets, it gets darker and a hormone called melatonin is released in the body. This hormone promotes sleepiness, causing the body to rest. When the sun rises and it is morning, the production of this hormone stops.

The circadian rhythm also works according to the needs of the body. When the body is tired or has been sleep deprived, nature takes its course and causes the body to have involuntary episodes of sleep and rest. It is said that 1 hour of sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours of sleep after midnight. This is one reason to get to bed early.

When the sun rises and it is morning, the production of this hormone stops. The circadian rhythm also works according to the needs of the body. When the body is tired or has been sleep deprived, nature takes its course and causes the body to have involuntary episodes of sleep and rest. It is said that 1 hour of sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours of sleep after midnight. This is one reason to get to bed early.

Why Rest is Important

The healthy development and productivity of an individual is closely linked to the amount of rest received. Here are some of the reasons why you should rest often.

Rejuvenation

Ever felt more active and productive after a good night’s sleep? This is because when you sleep, your body takes out time to rest and repair worn out tissues and cells. The body also releases hormones which promote cell production and growth at this time. During sleep, your body also gets rid of toxins. This leaves you feeling much more refreshed and energized after a period of rest. It doesn’t have to be a long sleep; short naps at intervals will do the job. The healing and rebuilding process is said to take place between the hours of 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM. Here’s a second reason to get to bed early.

Boosts Your Immunity

During prolonged time of rest or sleep, the body produces more cells including the white blood cells which are responsible for fighting off infections, leaving the body healthy and protected. Also, Cytokines which are responsible for targeting infections and inflammation are produced by your body. While sleeping, your immune system is at its peak. Your body is at its most relaxed state and the white blood cells can do their jobs effectively. When next you have an infection, take time out to rest and sleep in order to help your body to fight the infection.

Improves Mental and Emotional Capacity

Beyond the effects of the rejuvenation rest and sleep affords our emotional wellbeing. Research has also shown that getting the right amount of sleep can help in learning, assimilation and retention of memory. During sleep, your brain sorts and retains information gathered during the day and you remember things better as opposed to when sleep deprived. The effect of sleep on your mental and emotional wellbeing leads to an overall boost in productivity. You can concentrate better and your body is not too tired to work when you are well rested. This is also important for stress management and mental clarity.

Final thoughts

When you do not tamper with your body’s natural clock synchronized with nature, your body can get its required rest and you will enjoy the full health benefits. Try to take out more time in between work to rest and sleep more. Also remember to have free days to give your body a break from work. This is how God our creator designed us. You see, after the creation of the world and man, rest was created as He Himself rested as an example for us to follow.    

But the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Gen 2:2-3

References:

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need