Do we underestimate rest? I personally think we do. First of all, we misunderstand it. Last autumn my fitness buddy friend asked me about books on rest. So I found this one, read it and was quite disappointed. It lists public research results, but I am not sure if us, the general public, actually understand the types of rest, nor the need for it.
Last summer, I finally started a running regime (at least to me it still feels like a regime, not a hobby;)). I spent pretty much the entire 2020 learning about fitness, starting to shift my habits and searching for relevant digital technologies to support this change. I blogged about my new habits. I signed up with a few premium fitness apps and connected with fantastic people on Strava from worldwide (to me even Strava is a great place to meet people and virtually travel the world). I was swimming, doing yoga, cycling…but it was running that made me realise the importance of rest.
At first, I decided that I will run daily till the end of my life. Well, that firm commitment changed the next day. It turns out; running is hard to do daily. Our bodies have to rest. Especially if you are a beginner, and more so if you are in a pre-menopausal stage of your life. As days went by, and my muscles were recovering, I also grew stronger and wiser. We need rest to recover. To grow stronger. And sometimes rest can actually be active too. Sometimes running can be restful, especially after a stressful day in front of our work screen.
So what type of rest are there? This handy TED talk serves as a great introduction to the topic, but before you watch it think about your own list – what would you consider a restful activity?
I hope you will find this video talk useful. Let me know if you discover interesting aspects of your rest mechanisms. I would love to learn.
