By Emma-Jane Bunn
It’s so easy to push the idea of rest aside; doing and achieving more is often touted as the best way to move through life, and whilst it undeniably means you get more done - at what standard and at what cost?
Our incredible human bodies simply haven’t evolved to deal with the level of stimulation that they receive in modern living. With things such as worldwide news, our work email and access to infinite amounts of information (amongst many other things) at our literal fingertips; our body (via the nervous system) is processing more information than has ever been asked of it before in the history of human evolution. Our nervous system controls the release of hormones in the body that enable us to react to things that might endanger us, however our stress response is just as easily triggered by a news story occurring half way across the world (not a physical threat) as it is when we accidentally step out in front of a bicycle (a physical threat). That’s not to say we shouldn’t be informed, just that it’s not healthy to be constantly exposed to this amount of information. When we add to this our general day-to-day responsibilities; work, family roles, paying the bills etc we can see how we might start to feel overwhelmed and under-resourced.
When we look at it through this lens, we can see why 74% of people feel so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope in the last year (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov). It’s also, sadly, no surprise that 51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed, while 61% reported feeling anxious (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov). And we rarely stop to think about the long-term effect this stress is having on our bodies and minds. Unfortunately, when stressors are always present and you constantly feel activated, your hormonal “fight-or-flight” reaction turns on, and stays turned on. The long-term activation of the stress response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that follows can disrupt almost all your body's processes. This puts you at increased risk of many physical and mental health problems.
Now, I’m not suggesting getting rid of your devices, or that you should quit your job and move to a cabin in the woods (unless you particularly want to!) but there are definitely things we can do to help mediate the effects of these stressors.
Mindfulness Meditation - A mindfulness practice has been shown in studies to reduce the reactivity of the amygdala (the brains emotional response centre) allowing us more control over how we react to stressors, and therefore enabling us to reduce the release of stress hormones into the body.
Restorative Yoga - A slow and spacious yoga practice that invites the body into positions that encourage rest and recuperation. This type of practice facilitates the opposite of the “fight & flight” stress response; activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest & digest” functions in the body.
Pranayama (Breathwork) - While mindfulness asks us to be present with the breath as it is, Pranayama invites us to work gently with the breath (changing its speed and length) to further help the body “down-regulate”. Most of us will notice that in times of stress our breath gets shorter and faster, and when we’re stuck in this pattern for too long the body starts to struggle.
Somatic Movement - It may seem odd to recommend movement for rest purposes, but somatic practices (including some yoga) can help us to close the stress cycle and dispel excess stress hormones from the body. Once we’ve used up these hormones it makes way for the parasympathetic nervous system to release the more restful hormones and can help to bring us into a deeper state of connection and relaxation.
It can be tricky to know where to begin, especially when you’re exhausted, feeling under-resourced and struggling to make time for yourself, which is why I’ve built a course with The Honor Oak Wellness Rooms that addresses these issues and pushes back the effects of stress and burnout. The course offers a combination of all of all the above strategies as well as there being time for discussion and questions; it’s based on the science, as well as my years of experience as both a teacher, and as someone who has been deeply affected by these issues. It’s helpfully called Yoga for Stress & Burnout and I run 6-week cohorts throughout the year, as well as monthly two hour “Rest Sessions” on the last Saturday of the month.
It might seem like a luxury to invest money in your own wellbeing right now, but in response I offer this quote - “if you don’t pick a day to relax, your body will pick it for you”, meaning that unless you choose to build rest into your regular life, your body will choose a time for you (and usually at a much less convenient time) by communicating with you through symptoms such as fatigue, reduced immune system, poor digestion, exacerbated hormonal symptoms (PMS, fertility and perimenopause are all affected by stress), disrupted sleep or trouble falling asleep, feeling “tired but wired”, or even - in extreme cases - the onset of chronic illness.
Rest is integral to our overall health and wellbeing, as it’s only when we are rested and our nervous system is resilient and balanced, that we are able to thrive.
“I loved the premise of restorative yoga. I enjoyed it so much. I loved having the time, space and guidance to practice and listen, to pause and be still. It was quite enlightening.”
”I enjoyed the focus on what and how you can use the learning off the yoga mat. Really good teaching style; practical and realistic and respectful of everyone’s circumstances.”
”Telling how good the teacher is, is that I attended every session and could tolerate the ticking clock! Excellent course. A must for all. Thank you.”
Yoga for Stress & Burnout
The first cohort of 2023 begins on Thursday 12th of January.