Ground Down + Rest Deep

April 09, 2021

It’s officially Spring, and while that brings with it some much needed sunshine and blossoms, it also marks a year long pandemic anniversary. It’s wild to acknowledge how long we’ve all been in this; learning, changing, adapting, improvising in every way of being. The energy of late feels like a mixture of excitement and eagerness to be out in the world again, combined with a deeper, inner exhaustion from navigating the extra tumultuousness of the past year. If you feel like you need a three day nap but at the same time want to go out dancing with friends again, you’re not alone. Transitions are tough, life is complex, our needs are vast and we’ve been under ongoing, unprecedented stress. Go easy.

As we spring into spring, cultivating mindful rest practices to support our systems can be immensely helpful. There’s a lot of energy to start fresh and begin anew right now, but what use is that if we burn out too quickly? Proper rest and relaxation are crucial for creating long term health and spaciousness in our lives, which give room for those fertile new creations.

Below are some great tips from The Better Sleep Council for promoting deeper rest, both before bedtime and throughout the day.

• Create a comfortable room: Adjust your room so it’s dark, quiet, cool and cozy for sleep. The temperature should be between 65 and 67 degrees for comfortable sleeping. Prepare your bedroom for sleep with room-darkening blinds.

• Establish a consistent nighttime routine: Get yourself into a routine you can do every night before bed that evokes relaxation. Consider turning on gentle music, fluffing your pillows and reading a book. Try going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time (even on the weekends). It should lull your body into the habit of regular sleep.
  

• Monitor alcohol and caffeine intake: Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon/evening and alcohol near bedtime, since both stay longer in your system than you think and can disrupt sleep.

• Don’t forget to hydrate and eat right: In addition to your immune system getting a huge boost from rest, staying hydrated throughout the day and eating a healthy diet also support your immune system. Be sure to eat dinner 2 to 3 hours before going to bed for optimal digestion.

• Limit your blue light exposure: Try not to use LEDs or other forms of blue light at least an hour before bed, and turn your other electronics to “night mode” before you hit the pillow. (We personally love blue light blocker glasses when working!)

• Welcome natural light during the day: While a dark bedroom is conducive for sleeping, exposure to natural light while you’re awake boosts your mood, increases levels of alertness, and helps regulate your circadian rhythm.
  

Lastly, one of our go-to remedies for making time to rest is simply, creating space. We all too often fill our days up obligations and chores and rarely leave much time for ourselves. Every so often, maybe the laundry can wait one more day and we get back to that person tomorrow. Maybe we don’t book ourselves anything for an afternoon and we nap, write, read, or dream freely instead.

Deep rest comes from the space we cultivate for it, both physically and mentally. As Maya Angelou perfectly said,

“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”

May we all find the time, and give ourselves permission, to rest. In support of your rest and renewal, take 30% off our lounge and sleepwear collection all weekend with the code RESTDEEP.

Written by Alexa Rae

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