I write for a magazine called Total Wellness at UCLA and we write about that: total wellness. Physically, emotionally, but not so much spiritually (we'll leave spirituality alone). The last article I wrote which should be in print in a month or so was about how and why you should be gentle with yourself and learn to relax. I am going to present the article bit by bit over the next week or so. Here's the first suggestion:
Appreciate the benefits of Relaxation: Relaxation lowers cortisol levels, the stress hormone that wreaks havoc to the body (impairs cognitive performance, raises blood pressure, lowers the immune system response when present in abnormal levels). Relax to reduce your risk of stress-related illnesses. Ultimately, you can get more done when you are working because you have rejuvinated your mind during your time of rest. So if you're someone who cannot stand to sit still or feel "unproductive" if you aren't doing something, remind yourself that you will be able to focus more easily on your work days if you take a day off a week. Just like when we work out, we need to take at least a day off a week in order to allow our muscles to repair themselves and give our cardiovascular systems some down time. It is the same with our brains and emotions. Allow yourself to power down once a week.
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