The Benefits of Taking a Break

I find this time of year super challenging. There is so much to remember, there are a lot of expectations, there are traditions that need to be withheld even when it just doesn't feel like the right time (read decorate Christmas tree when everyone is cranky, tired and hungry). It feels like there is never enough time in the day to check off all the items on the endless task list.

For me the first thing to go when I am busy and stressed is prioritizing a break. I am literally like a whirling dervish (my kids and husband will verify this) going from one thing to the next without stopping for a breath, a sip of water or sometimes even lunch. For most of us, this endless movement from one activity to another, or in most of our cases, from one distraction to another, isn't just an issue at busy times of year like Christmas, this is our daily, monthly, yearly reality.

Last week I listened to an amazing episode of SPARK with Norah Young where she discussed the need for solitude in our fast paced and technology riddled lives. As a sleep consultant, I see a huge connection between the little time we spend alone and our struggles to fall or stay asleep.

How can we expect to slip into sleep each night if we haven't given our nervous system and brain an opportunity to just pause and process, to sift through memories and ideas, to just be with ourselves?

When we do get into bed and turn off the light, what is the first thing that is going to happen? Our brain is going to take that opportunity to do what it has been waiting to do all day - process, review, sift and formulate new ideas or ways in which to solve a problem. This may not happen the second your head hits the pillow, but you may meet it later in the night, when you can't fall back to sleep after waking to use the bathroom.

We live in a time where we are rarely spend time alone in our own minds. If we are stuck in a lineup, we pick up our phone. We eat lunch at our computers and listen to podcasts when walking the dog. When our older kids aren't at school or activities, they tend to be on devices or watching TV. When we do finally get into bed at night (sleep procrastination will be next month's topic!), most of us are scrolling through instagram or watching Netflix. We are constantly inundated with distractions and "noise" and I feel this is taking a huge toll on ability to sleep well.

We don't know how to be bored anymore, or in other words, we no longer have those precious moments where we just let our mind wander.

I am not writing this to point fingers, as I know this struggle well. I have tasted those moments of reverie though and it feels really good. I know if I prioritize a pause, a break, time to just be, I see an improvement in my mood, the ability to be present for my family and the quality of my sleep. Start with just 5 minutes each day. Pick something that feels easy and at a time that feels manageable.

Here are my Top 5 Favourite Ways to invite this break into my day:

Walking in Nature.
Taking a Bath (trifecta of benefits - relaxes your muscles and helps to lower your body temperature; necessary for the sleep process).
Shivasana at the end of a really good yoga class.
Yoga Nidra or iRest for Peace and Well Being.
Live Awake meditation "Remembering Your Stillness" by Sarah Blondin.

Good luck and remember this is about practice not perfection. Thank you Sarah Tacoma for your lovely photographs. Thank you to all of you for your continued interest in sleep health!

Thanks for reading!

Jessica