BE WELL
Respite: It's Okay To Take a Break
Patrice Jones, contributing editor
“It’s mid-July and we’re well into the summer and in full vacation mode. It’s time to take a break! Either you’ve already taken the time to get a little R&R, or you’re looking forward to a fun-filled time in a perfectly selected location with friends and family. In either case, don’t forget that your healthy lifestyle should ALWAYS be an integral part of your day (EVEN while vacationing)...”
This was the ONLY paragraph I came up with, after pondering for over a week about ‘respite’. I went to Panera Bread and stared at the computer screen. Then, I tried Starbucks, where I stared at the computer screen some more. Finally, I sat on the floor of my apartment, staring at my laptop and it ‘hit’ me: “Patrice, you’re having such difficult time writing about ‘taking a break’, because you don’t know HOW to take a break!” Either I’m Personal Training, thinking about training for a race, planning a group session or doing my own workout. In addition, I have a 5 year old son that needs me and a business that needs to remain operational. One of my personal resolutions for 2011 was to commit to a healthy work-life balance. While I’ve made significant progress, I realize that I still have work to do.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is inclusive of proper DIET, EXERCISE and REST. Our bodies need all three of these things to function properly, so we do not ‘burn-out’ or ‘shut-down’. Our diets should be balanced, with the elements of proper nutrition and portions. Exercise should often be vigorous, but our regimens should also include a day of rest. In addition, enjoying a restful night of 6-8 hours of sleep is difficult for most; however it is necessary for optimal health.
We all lead extremely busy lives and barely take a break for ourselves. There’s the cell phone, computers, work, kids, meetings, activities, grocery shopping and trying to maintain sanity through it all. SOMEHOW, we must find ways to take breaks; a mid-day nap, an hour for exercise or a walk in the park to soak up the sun. I’ve found that daytime ‘car-naps’, mid-day naps and a day of stretching and flexibility training help me relax and get rest during a busy day.
Sleep deprivation interrupts every physiologic function in the body. It also increases the production of stress hormones, elevates blood pressure and causes inflammation; raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. So, as you can see, proper diet and exercise is GREAT for our bodies; however, if we don’t take breaks and get proper rest, we are essentially CAUSING the very things we’re working SO hard to PREVENT!
I hope you can find innovative ways to find balance, as I will too. We must all make DAILY conscious efforts to strive for optimal health. We only get one body, one temple, one chance!
