Daily Encouragement: Listen When Your Body is Saying to Rest

In our fast past culture, being busy is a mark of success. But is it really? Being busy and on the go all the time can create havoc on your physical bodies. Not getting the proper amounts of down time can cause stress and a decrease in your immune system. If you are under any additional stress in your life, then taking time to rest your body will be essential; otherwise your body will cause you to rest.

If you have any chronic stress in your life, taking sufficient times of rest can help rebuild your energy levels and aid in strengthening your immune system. In our society we are not taught that rest is good, in fact, we are encouraged to “burn the candle at both ends.” Life is short no matter how many years that you live. You can work constantly and never take vacation time and you can stay so busy with outside activities that the day is just a blur. What’s the point in working so hard you can’t enjoy the simple things in life? For more money, a better title/position, or to get the applaud of others? There usually is a time in everyone’s life that you have to work hard such as when you are in college and have to work full-time, and sometimes people have to work two jobs because they are a single parent. I am not referring to people who are in the “you gotta do what you gotta do,” phase in their life, but for people who never, ever rest. Even when you are in a stage in your life that is hectic, you can still carve sometime for rest. We all get time off, but many use their time off unwisely by running and doing when they may need to rest. Yes, there are times that you can “play hard,” just not when your body is saying, “I feel tired.” Many push themselves and their limits and end up getting sick.

Your life should be balanced. Equal amounts of time for work, play and rest. Some days you may need a little more rest because of persistent stressors that can exhaust your energy levels and diminish your immune system’s ability to fight colds and viruses.

Reflect and ponder:

Do you push yourself to keep going and doing when your body is telling you it needs rest? Why do you believe you feel the need to keep going?

Counselor’s Corner:

Your body will let you know when it needs rest. If you have experienced several of the following, your body may be saying, “Slow down.”

·        Fatigue. Difficulty getting up in the morning

·        Difficulty staying or falling asleep

·        Difficulty concentrating

·        Distracted and lose of focus

·        Irritable, short-fused, or agitated

·        Upset stomach

·        Headaches

·        General malaise

·        Easily frustrated

·        Appetite changes-decrease or increase in eating habits

·        Sighing frequently

·        Shortness of breath

·        Anxiousness

·        Depression

·        Loss of motivation

·        Lack of creativity

What can you do during your times of rest?

1.      Turn off your cell phone and check at the end of the day.

2.      Do not engage in social media. Checking your Facebook status will not cause you to rest.

3.      Lay down and take a nap.

4.      Watch a movie that is enjoyable and eat your favorite snack.

5.      Take a warm bubble bath.

6.      Take a leisurely walk in your neighborhood.

7.      Get your chores out of the way so you don’t do any chores during your time of rest.

8.      Read a good book.

9.      Spend quiet time with God. Be still and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak.

10.  Spend time just “soaking” with worship music.

11.  Sit outside and observe God’s beautiful creations.

What not to do when your body needs rest:

1.      Running to and fro when your body is depleted.

2.      Hanging out with people who drain you.

3.      Checking your phone, texts, emails, and social media.

4.      Doing heavy chores or chores that take a while to complete.

5.      Worrying and analyzing your problems over and over.

6.      Doing anything that would cause stress.

Counselor’s Corner:Taking Care of Yourself When You Have Chronic Stress

What is chronic stress? Any stress in your life that is persistent and ongoing with no-end in sight. Examples of chronic stress could be drug-addiction in family, emotionally unstable or mentally ill family, a disabled or sick child, and any caregiver role that you might be in. Minor stress in comparison can consist of more manageable types of stress such as car repairs, paying for your child’s education, or getting through the holidays with your in-laws. The difference with minor stress and chronic stress is that with minor stress, there is relief eventually coming. With chronic stress, you don’t know when or if relief will come. Chronic stress left unchecked can develop into PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

The first key in recovering from chronic stress is becoming aware. Becoming aware of how chronic stress has affected your life, and becoming aware of what action steps that need to be taken quickly before the onset of negative symptoms.

What are some of the symptoms of chronic stress:

□ Depression

□ Anxiety

□ Fatigue

□ Overwhelmed

□ Decreased immune functioning

□ Overreaction in small matters

□ Anger, frustration, irritability

□ Women-hormonal imbalance

□ Gastrointestinal issues-bloating, diarrhea, upset stomach

□ Decrease in libido

□ Back pain

□ Frequent headaches

□ Difficulty concentration and remembering

□ Easily startled

□ Not at ease, feel hyper-guarded

□ Cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure

□ Difficulty staying or falling asleep

□ Feel helpless

Stress that is persistent and ongoing has a far greater negative impact on our overall health. Chronic stress can lead to atrophy in the hippocampus part of the brain and can later develop into dementia. 

Chronic stress can lead to premature death, stroke, and cancer. Chronic stress actually kills our brain cells! The American Psychological Association reported on a study of chronological ages versus physiological ages related to stress. Their findings were startling-women who cared for disabled or sick children for years were 10 years older physiologically. We must be active to eliminate what stress that we can, and to manage the stress that is chronic in our lives in a healthier manner. Chronically stressed individuals are literally in a fight for their lives and for survival.

Reflect and ponder: Do you have any chronic stress in your life? Or perhaps you have multiple, chronic stressors in your life? Are you ready to implement changes in your life to save your life?

Counselor’s Corner:

Self-care is imperative to develop and incorporate into your life if you have chronic stress. Taking care of yourself is not selfish, but in fact it could prolong and save your life. You must realize that because you have dealt with chronic stress, you are now different. You may have to grieve the loss, the pain, and the trauma that the chronic stress has caused you. You may not be the same person that you were before the chronic stress was a part of your life, but like the Apostle Paul who continued in his ministry even with the “thorn in his side,” I believe we can too! We just need to balance our lives differently with a lot of self-care.

Self-care tips for chronic stress:

1.      Know your limits. Know when enough is enough for you. You may not be able to go and do like everyone else, you may need more times of quietness and solitude with the Father. I have learned quietness is my friend. A lot of noise and big crowds do not do well for me any longer, but one on one relationships are great for me. Do what is best for you! If you are not able to attend a funeral because it heightens your stress levels, don’t go and maybe instead send a card or flowers. If going to a loud social gathering would cause you more anxiousness, don’t go but instead do something that you would enjoy.

2.      Exercise. Exercise decreases stress, anxiety and depression. Even walking can have benefits to your health.

3.      Detach emotionally from people in your life who drain you, use you, manipulate you, or add little to no value to your life. Detaching in love is something that only God can give you the strength to do. There may come a time in your life where you need to “cut your losses” in a relationship. If you have received more pain in a relationship than it may be time to detach. Detaching does not need to be permanent, just until God has restored that person to a right relationship with Him and the two of you can then have a healthy relationship. Detaching emotionally says, “You are now responsible for you own life and I will no longer fix, rescue, or enable you in anyway.” Detaching emotionally means your problem is no longer my problem.

4.      Do things for your enjoyment. Cultivate lots of time for fun, laughter and relaxing.

5.      Have alone time with the Father, often! Learn to soak by just sitting before the Lord and listening to worship music. You can even soak in a warm tub filled with Epson salt and play worship music as you do.

6.      Simplify your life. Cut out all non-essentials in your life and cut down the things in your life that are only Holy Spirit led. You will find that God does not want us running and jumping here and there, but often He has just being still. Stillness in the Lord = Peace.

7.      Rest when you need to. Chronic stress has your body working overtime so when you need to pull back and rest-do so! It is not your job to convince others of your walk. Your true friends will stick by you and will understand your boundaries and when you need to take a break.

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest, take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is a t my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 16:8

Why Resting Your Mind is Important

So many people are in a continually state of unrest. It is important that you take time to rest your mind, body, and spirit. Otherwise, your entire system will be out of balance. When you system gets out of balance you can be susceptible to illness, negative thinking, depression, anxiety and fatigue.

How does one get in a state of unrest? Being constantly geared-up, worried, anxious, and fearful, thinking the worst, and not allowing your mind to just rest. As well as not eating properly, not getting enough exercise and not spending time with God.

To take a rest in your mind would mean to stop all thoughts that would pose a threat to your state of peace. If you’re constantly thinking about worrisome thoughts your body will react to the stress. If you think negative thoughts and stressful thoughts your body will begin to react.

It is important to balance your system back with prayer, spending time with God, eating right, exercising, letting go and letting God, and giving your mind a rest from anxious, worrisome and fearful thoughts. If your mind is in a continually state of unrest you will eventually feel tired and worn-out and generally not feel well (malaise).  Your body will feel tense, you may have sore muscles, headaches, and possible TMJ.

Get to the “roots” of why you are in a chronic state of unrest. In other words, what are the underlying causes of your stress? What keeps you up at night? It is not God’s will for you to be under stress and unbalance. You might have to slip away from the hectic lifestyle you live or the busyness you are under and come into the presence of Jesus who can unmask why you in a state of unrest. Step away from the cares of this world long enough to hear God and how He wants you to handle your situations. Go to a quiet place and sit before the Lord. Get quiet and balance your emotions. There is a word God will breathe upon you and enlighten you with.

Take care of your body as well, begin to eat balanced nutritious meals as well as light exercising. Walking is a great way to relieve stress and unrest. Take a multi-vitamin as well as a good B-vitamin. This is a holistic approach to your unrest but you have to take care of not only your body but your mind and spirit as well. Balance every area of your life. All of your parts are interconnected, your mind, your body and your spirit. If one area is out of balance you will feel it in the other areas as well. Have you ever noticed when you are physically sick you’re not as spiritually strong? But have you noticed when you are physically, mentally and spiritually strong how good you feel? Always be guarded and aware when one or two areas are out of balance. Realign the ones that need to be rebalanced.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. Mark 6:31

What suggestions can you give to maintain balance and rest in your life?

How Negativity Affects Your Physical Health

“Change your thoughts and change your world.” Norman Vincent Peale

Chronic stress from negative attitudes can upset the body’s hormone balance and deplete the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) required for feelings of happiness. Negative emotions can weaken the immune system. The mind, body, and spirit are interconnected. When one is affected, the other two will suffer. For example, someone with chronic negativity towards life can also have co-related depression and fatigue. Anger and hostility has been linked to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Many health problems such as chronic fatigue, depression, insomnia, and gastrointestinal diseases will not entirely clear up on their own, unless the mental and spiritual aspects are also addressed.

Some common negative emotions are: worry, fear, depression, guilt, resentment, lack of contentment, complaining, and anger. These emotions can open the door to sickness and disease. Worrying generates anxiety and reves up your body. People who are chronically anxious have a dramatically greater risk for developing asthma, arthritis, headaches, and peptic ulcers. Studies have shown that worry, fear, anxiety and other negative emotions weaken natural “killer cells” in our bodies. Killer cells actually attack abnormal cells.

Research has shown that positive thinking can aid in stress management and even plays an important part in your well-being. According to the Mayo clinic, positive thinking is linked to a wide range of health benefits including: longer life span, less stress, lower rates of depression, resistance to the common cold, better coping skills, and better psychological health. However is positive thinking alone enough? No, you must replace every thought with a faith-filled statement and scripture. Say out loud these scriptures daily and any other helpful ones and write them out on index cards.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

                                 

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

John 14:27 ESV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

WildernessMentality, Stop Your Stinkin’ Thinkin’ by Stephanie Reck