Why rest breaks are so important

In the culture we live in, the boundary between professional and private life has become very thin and more permeable. Many stay at home to work, think about work even during weekends and vacations, and ultimately little time remains to mentally and physically recover. A short break, and especially a short break for a so-called nap, can have a positive impact on our quality of life and satisfaction. What other benefits do rest breaks bring?

Creativity and Problem Solving
The human brain has two very important and dominant functions – performing tasks and recovery. Our activities are based on tasks, and thanks to our intuition and experience, we know exactly how to perform them without having to think much about it. When we recover and our brain is "switched off," we begin to… dream. If information reaches us during this last phase, the mind starts working, combining facts with intuition and experience, associating, assembling, or separating them. The result is a solution to the problem that occupied us. It is no coincidence that the phrase "sleep on it" is often heard – the brain does a good, creative job while we recover.

Sensory Integrity
Adults must face daily challenges that require them to be mentally and physically on standby mode. If someone lacks this attitude, it can often be a sign of a sensory integration disorder. Behaviors such as lack of organization, problems forming relationships, too much (or too little) involvement in personal relationships, mood swings, and much more can then be observed. Fortunately, this process can be influenced, even during sleep! Thanks to therapy blankets, sensory perceptions can be deepened, proprioceptive activities improved, muscle tone controlled, and cognitive functions further developed. A short nap under a weighted blanket brings the body into a state of relaxation by lowering cortisol levels.

The Quality of Existing Relationships
Studies by Harvard professors showed that the lack of strong and deep relationships with other people is just as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day! Many scientists go even further and claim that constant stimulation, e.g., through too much technology, can affect the quality of our relationships. Where does this assumption come from? When recovering from stimuli, we are automatically more present in relationships, we observe others and recognize their needs. Recovery deepens and stimulates relationships – and this also applies to shared rest breaks.

Sleep Improves Fitness
Experts at the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center (USA) have published studies showing that athletes achieve higher quality results, have a better mood, and more energy when they sleep ten hours daily for six weeks. No wonder, because muscles and micro-injuries regenerate faster during sleep, and exhaustion after workouts is reduced. A nap during the day (no longer than 40 minutes) is also an excellent energy supplier, so we ultimately have more joy and motivation to engage in physical activity.

Increased Productivity
Our alertness and mindfulness decrease hour by hour throughout the day. However, this process can be stopped with a short 20-minute nap. The benefits of a short rest break for the brain are enormous. The more time we have during the week to relax, the more productive we are. Interestingly, one should do less, not more. Regular rest breaks, extended sleep at night, vacations, regular outings, and breaks increase productivity, work efficiency, and of course benefit health.