Your back is sore most days. Your knees hurt. After chasing your little one at the playground the other day, your feet scream for a rest. So, what do you do? You pop an ibuprofen or two, have another cup of coffee, and move on, hoping your body will forget the pain. After all, that’s the sacrifice we make as parents, right?

No, physical pain and soreness are important signals your body gives you to tell you it needs a break. All too often, we ignore these important signals, but today I want to invite you to stop pretending everything feels fine and start noticing the messages your body is trying to send you. Today, we will explore physical rest.

What is Physical Rest?

Let’s start by discussing what physical rest is NOT. Sleep does not equal physical rest. I want you to know that sleep is important. A full night of sleep every night is necessary (6-8 hours per night for the average adult). A study by the National Sleep Foundation found that getting just two nights of sleep per week for four hours or less could be linked to things such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, coronary artery disease, and much more.

Please, get the sleep you need. However, when I talk about physical rest, I am not talking about sleep. Inadequate physical rest can lead to poor sleep, but they are not equivalent.

“Physical rest is any activity that releases tension and restores calm to the physical body.”

So then, what is physical rest? Physical rest is any activity that releases tension and restores calm to the physical body. Physical rest is found through practices that we can actively do to help our bodies find relief and rest from all those aches and pains that we so often try to ignore.

How Do You Know If You Need Physical Rest?

I am 99% confident that almost every single parent and caretaker out there needs physical rest. We are hard on our bodies. We sit in the car many hours in a day getting kids where they need to go. We carry our little ones around, lifting them regularly. We bend and twist and move our bodies every which way to get the chores done and make sure our kids are taken are well cared for. Any body that sees this type of action regularly can use some physical rest.

But maybe you want to REALLY be sure you need to give you body some rest.

Here are a few signs to look for:

Your body is often aching or sore - As we have discussed, aches and pains mean our body is trying to tell us something. Listen to it. (If you have chronic pain, I recommend that you see a doctor)
You don’t have energy to complete all of the physical tasks on your list for the day.
You feel exhausted at the end of the day, but you are unable to fall asleep.
You get sick often and have a weak immune system.
You rely on substances to boost your energy (i.e. coffee, energy bars, sugary snacks).
You rely on substances to help you find rest (i.e. alcohol, pills, foods you love).
You have a short fuse and are often lashing out at your children and husband.

These are just a few indicators that mean you need to give your body a rest. If one or more of these ring true, it’s time to take action to get the rest your body needs.

What Can You Do To Get Physical Rest?

As we go through this series, I want you to feel that every type of rest is approachable and doable. When we discuss each type of rest, I will give you a few quick ways to find rest (in 30 minutes or less), and a few ways you can get rest if you have a little more time.

Practice some breathing exercises (5 min) Click Here for a box breathing tutorial
Do some active stretching or restorative yoga (15 - 45 min)
Take a walk around the block (10 min) When we walk, researchers find that soothing neurons are activated in our brain.
Lay down (either on your back or your belly) and be completely still (5 min). Focus on letting go of tension in every muscle in your body. Start at your toes and slowly work your way up to your head.
Take a hot bath (30 min) Don’t forget the bubbles and candles in scents they you find relaxing.

I also recommend that you give your body longer periods of rest every once and awhile. Here’s some ways to do that:

Do some active stretching or restorative yoga (15 - 45 min) Try Yoga with SarahBeth or yoga with Adrienne.
Take a longer walk around your town or your neighborhood. Focus on enjoying the walk and taking your time; no fast-walking allowed. (60 min)
For a splurge, spend a part or all of the day at the spa - Spend time in the sauna, soak in warm baths, and get a massage if you can (3- 6 hours)

As you start to give your body the physical rest it needs, you will learn to be more in tune with what your body is telling you. Know that physical rest can come in short spurts and you can practice it daily. I know you can do it. Your body and your family will thank you.

Questions about physical rest? Let me know.

Don’t forget to subscribe to make sure you don’t miss the upcoming installments in the Rest Series!