Triangle of Health: Rest

from www.todayshealthcounselor.com

There are many different ways to rest our bodies and minds. Rest is the most overlooked piece of the puzzle in the triangle of health and fitness. That triangle is exercise, nutrition, and rest. The choices you make here are just as important as the choices you make in the other areas.

Some of the possibilities include sleep, naps, reading a book, listening to relaxing music, meditating and massages. Sleep is the most important, yet sometimes the worries of our world cause us to sleep poorly. When that happens, it's good to take some extra time the next day to relax. Many people find regular meditation to be helpful. It's a spiritual practice that is not limited to any one religion, and it is not necessary to be religious to benefit from it. An atheist can benefit from it as much as a Christian or a Buddhist. It helps to remind us that we have help in the world, and we don't have to do it all ourselves.

Relaxing music is very helpful, and I also find uplifting music to be source of energy. The world is full of non-spiritual messages, and any music that helps you connect with your true self is great. Your true self is that part of you that is naturally joyful, confident, peaceful, and loving, for what may seem to be no apparent reason. You may feel these things, because that is who you are.

I believe it's necessary to feel the negative emotions. Stress can be thought of as the mismanagement of negative emotions, which we all do to some extent. Of course, it's important to recognize external stressors also, but we tend to attract things in our life that mirror our inner world. That's why it's helpful to learn to manage your negative emotions. As you become calmer and happier, you will be better able to attract things in your life that make you happy.

The more stressed we are, the more tired we will feel, and the less energy you will have to work out and build muscle, or burn fat. In fact, the stress hormone, cortisol, causes us to burn muscle and retain fat. Stress has also been linked to disease, and my belief is that it plays a much bigger role in the development of disease that is currently recognized.

Please visit today's health counselor for more in-depth information on the Triangle of Health and other related topics.