Intern Anna is back so I can “rest and reset” myself this summer. Here I am checking out a gorgeous labyrinth on Bainbridge Island. You may have seen my recent piece on rest, and now you can get insights from Anna’s perspectives on rest during recovery and you can enjoy the flower arrangement I created while restoring myself 🙂 .
Thank you Intern Anna for sharing your insights on how rest can help during recovery. ~ Becky
Rest and Reset – by Intern Anna
Nowadays it is so common to hear people brag about how little sleep they get. It seems to be this competition that I don’t seem to get.
I have always been big on sleep. I get grumpy if I’m tired pretty quickly. I learned this from my childhood and it has helped me to prioritize my sleep. For example, I have a boundary set about when I should try to get to bed. My friends and family acknowledge this and know this about me, which helps me stay on track.
I have found that living on a small amount of sleep increases my mental illness symptoms. My anxiety and eating habits may decline. That is why I put my rest time as a priority. Resting helps our bodies to relax and restore. Keeping an eye out for an increase in symptoms can be especially helpful. By maintaining your sleep, you are being proactive about recovery.
In recovery, I know I was tired. Eating disorders suck the energy out of you. So, getting good quality sleep while nourishing your body in a healthier way is a big step towards recovery. It can be hard to change disordered eating and trying to get better sleep could be a small win that helps to get recovery progressing.
Sometimes resting can feel like being lazy. I think that resting can be a productive thing if you are doing it because you need the 
rest. There is no award that you win just for being a busy person. Take the time to slow down and rest.
Also, I used to think that resting only included sleep. There are so many otherways to rest. For example, resting your eyes, watching television, and meditating are all alternative ways to rest. For me, it depends on how I am feeling that day and how much free time I have.
One way that I like to prioritize rest is by setting alarms when it is time to get ready for bed. This way, time doesn’t pass me by and I can give myself enough time for a good night routine. I set alarms for naps too, so I don’t sleep for an unlimited period of time. I try to stick to 30 minutes to 1 hour because shorter naps are more effective.
I like to think about rest as a way to give me some relief so I can go back to doing the things I love at full speed. If I am not focusing on myself, I can’t give back to others.
~Intern Anna
