Rest 101

The time between semesters is precious. Adequate rest (not just sleep!) is essential for our creativity, energy, and focus. Follow along with this series as we explore ways to nurture our mental and emotional well-being during a break between terms.

Why rest is important?

In an integrative review, nursing faculty report, on average, moderate to high levels of various dimensions of burnout, which is highly correlated with the intention to leave the profession (Duggar, 2024).

A unique situation

Caring professions are at high risk for burnout and nurse educators are uniquely positioned in two caring professions - nursing and education.

Mindset of rest

Rest begins with the prefix re- because it requires going backward to go forward. Other words include replenish, restore, renew, recover, regenerate, repair, and rebuild.

It serves as an opportunity to rethink our priorities and reset anything that is out of alignment.

Types of Rest

Every activity we do uses energy. Each pulls from a different reserve, which we must replenish over time.

Types of Rest

These include:

physical
mental
emotional
spiritual
social
sensory
creative

Ideas for rest

Each week, this series will explore ideas for rest in these categories.

Week 1 - Introduction + Physical

Week 2 - Mental + Emotional

Week 3 - Spiritual + Social

Week 4 - Sensory + Creative

And after?

In the spirit of rest, starting July 1st, this newsletter will take its annual summer break. The Facebook group will be paused and I will return to your inbox on August 12th.

Ready to explore rest?

Let's start with physical rest.

Signs of Physical Rest Deficit

Feel tired but have difficulty falling asleep
Weakened immune system with frequent colds
Frequent muscle pains or soreness
Substance dependence for energy (caffeine, sugar)
Substance dependence for rest (alcohol, melatonin, foods)

Passive physical rest

Sleep
Nap

This is stillness of the body.

Active physical rest

Stretching
Breathing exercise
Yoga
Walking meditation

Through gentle movement, active physical rest is restorative.

Ideas for physical rest

Body fluidity - Avoid sitting for more than an hour. Keep your body in motion by rolling your head, stretching your wrists, wiggling your toes, or opening and closing your hands.

Mindful stillness—Choose a time to be still on purpose. Notice your breathing, sensations on your skin, and how your body feels. My favorite noticing activity around breathing is how air entering your body feels cool, while on exhale, it feels warm.

References

Dalton-Smith, S. (2017). Sacred rest: recover your life, renew your energy, restore your spirit. New York: Hachette Book Group.

Dugger, J. (2024). Predictive and Associated Factors of Burnout in Nursing Faculty. Nurse Educator, 49 (3), E142-E146. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001533.

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