How Slowing Down Improves Your Overall Health
“Life is all about balance. You don’t always need to be getting stuff done. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay, and absolutely necessary, to shut down, kick back, and do nothing.” ~ Lori Deschene
I don’t know about you, but I have a REALLY hard time doing nothing. If I’m awake, my mind is on and I feel like I need to be productive every moment until I go to bed at night. If I’m not productive, my inner critic chimes in and makes sure I feel “less than” because I wasted the day away.
And, some days I find my anxious mind planning out what I’m going to do days in advance and at what exact time. And if it includes interacting with another human, I’m usually planning out full conversations and how I’ll react based on what’s said.
This, my friends, is exhausting. And if you are like me, I’m sure you can relate. And if you aren’t like me, then you might find this all to be a bit too much.
Unfortunately our anxious minds want to be “doing” all the time - and if we aren’t physically active, we sure as heck are mentally active. But this belief has a negative impact on our nervous system and our overall health. Pausing to slow down, even just for a breath or two, can make a big difference in how we feel. Here’s why rest is important and various ways you can start to slow down in your life in order to reduce your nervous system and reduce your anxiety.
How Being Busy All The Time Impacts Your Body and Mind
Your body and mind only have so much energy to give out each day. And the activities you do on a regular basis that keep you busy from the moment you open your eyes drain your energy. When you use all that energy up, you can be left feeling depleted. You feel fatigued, you might make poor decisions (or no decisions at all) and you might have a hard time controlling your emotions. There is no more energy to support the executive function of the brain like regulating behavior and emotions, problem solving, planning, making decisions, resisting temptations (hello brownies) and being persistent when dealing with conflict or tough situations. When this happens, your “primitive brain” takes over and you react from your emotions rather than thinking things through. And this is when we usually do something or say something that we’ll regret later.
If you struggle with anxiety on top of a busy schedule, your energy will deplete quicker because your nervous system thinks that it’s in “fight or flight” mode all the time. The heart beats faster, the breath is quicker, and adrenaline along with other fear-producing chemicals are pumping through your body. And those chemicals fuel the mind to continue thinking it’s unsafe, which revs up the body even more!
And, since you aren’t doing anything physical to use up those fear-induced chemicals, they build up in your joints and muscles which leaves you in chronic pain and emotional turmoil. You end up feeling physically distressed and mentally exhausted all of the time.
The Importance of Slowing Down
When you are busy, it can be hard to remember how vital slowing down is to your overall health and well-being. But here’s the thing. Taking time to pause and connect back to the present moment throughout the day turns off your ramped up nervous system and allows your body and mind to relax so that you feel more grounded, clear and focused.
Here’s an example:
Imagine you are holding a glass of muddy water that has just been shaken or stirred. When all that muck is floating around in the water, it’s hard to see through the glass. The more you keep moving the glass and disturbing the mud, the less clear the glass becomes. But the moment you keep the glass still, the mud eventually settles to the bottom. And just like that, you’re able to see through the glass with more clarity and ease.
Your mind and body are a lot like that glass of muddy water. The more you continue to “do”, the more your thoughts, emotions, stories and worries will float around like the mud in the glass, which will then cause your nervous system to ramp up and be on alert. But, when you slow down, even just for a moment or two, your mind will start to settle, just like the glass of water, which will turn off your revved up nervous system and start to settle your mind so that you can make better decisions and feel more clear throughout the day.
Some other benefits of slowing down include:
Increased self-awareness
Increased self-regulation
Getting more done in less time
Differentiate between what’s a priority and what is not
Improved connection with others
Increased self confidence and resilience
Tips to Start Slowing Down
I used to think I needed to rest at least 15-30 minutes or more a day in order to feel the benefits. And since I’m pretty busy most of the time, carving out anything more than 10 minutes felt like too much. So I didn’t never did it.
Then I was reminded by my teacher that simple, small pauses throughout the day to take a breath and return my mind to the present moment was all it took to start creating change. Although it doesn’t feel like much in each moment, these simple acts of slowing down add up over time. Eventually the nervous system doesn’t have a chance to rev and the mind doesn’t start to get overwhelmed because the glass of muddy water remains more still throughout the day so that the mud doesn’t scatter everywhere. And you’re left feeling more calm, balanced and able to see clearly.
Here a few ways to start adding in these small pauses throughout your day:
Eat Mindfully. Pay attention to each bite without the distractions of your computer, phone, TV or conversations with others. Really notice how the food looks, tastes, smells, and what it’s texture feels like. Simply enjoying your food can bring your awareness to the present and increase your sense of gratitude for the wonderful meal you are enjoying.
Put a post-it note in your car near the ignition that says “pause” or “slow down”. Each time you get into your car, take a moment to take two or three slow and deep breaths. Then shift into gear and go about your day. You can also put multiple “slow down” post-it notes in areas where you feel rushed or stressed (computer screen, cell phone picture background, etc.)
Before going into a building, spend a few moments in nature. Multiple studies have shown that time in nature is an antidote for stress. It can lower your blood pressure and stress hormone levels, slow down your nervous system, increase your self-esteem, reduce your stress-level, reduce feelings of isolation and improve your mood. Before you enter a building, pause and take a breath while noticing the things around you.
Set a time to stretch or move every 25 minutes. From your seat, simply inhale and bring your arms over your head, wiggling your torso from side to side. Release your arms and then roll your shoulders in both directions. Take a simple twist to the left and then to the right. End with some neck circles or wrist circles. These small, quick movements will help reset the mind and body.
When we are so busy, the first thing that goes is time for self-care and rest. Hopefully now you realize that slowing down is vital for your overall health and well-being, and that it doesn’t need to be hours of self-care to make a difference. Just a few short moments of pausing and returning back to the present can make all the difference in your life.