situations. If you’re physically exhausted, then
it’s fine to f lop in front of the television. But if
your mind is weary with work and worry, taking
a walk outside might improve your mood more.
When you feel stressed, spend 15 minutes doing
your favourite restful activity. It might be
mindfulness, music, reading, or something
different. And if you find yourself feeling guilty,
remind yourself you’re prescribing 15 minutes
of activity for your mental health and you’ll feel
instantly better for it.
Taken from The Art of Rest: How to Find
Respite in the Modern Age by Claudia
Hammond (Canongate). Claudia worked
on the Rest Test project and also presents
All in the Mind on BBC Radio 4.“Give yourself permission to rest and
appreciate the satisfaction of it”Reading – Chosen by 58% of people, in large
part reading feels restful because it allows
us to escape our own worlds. We can read
a book at our own pace, in our own way.
Spending time in nature – Many of us seem
to have an instinct that nature is good for
us. The research backs it up, showing that
being in a natural place is calming and
allows us to rest better.
I want to be alone – We spend 29% of
our waking time alone, but often not doing
very restful activities (commuting, working,
admin). Not to be confused with loneliness,
choosing to spend time in restful solitude
allows us to retreat and tend to our emotions
and stimulate creativity and new ideas.
Listening to music – Music has proven
psychological benefits and the most
important factor seems to be how much
you engage with what you’re actually
listening to. Whether it’s Mozart or
Madonna, listening to music that you
enjoy is how to reap the most benefits.
Doing nothing in particular – We’re
conditioned to believe that effort leads
to success and sedentary lifestyles are
bad. Having moments of rest where you do
nothing, taking breaks and holidays are not
only fine, they’re positively good for you.the week, so you might have only two hours’ rest
during the week and a lot of spare time at the
weekend. And, obviously, five hours of rest
doesn’t mean you need to set aside that amount
of time to do nothing. For some people cooking
meals or going for a run is relaxing and enjoyable
and might be a part of their rest time.
And it’s not the case that the more rest you
get, the better. When your time spent resting
goes above this point, wellbeing levels begin to
drop again, and the nourishing effects seem to
disappear completely once it’s enforced. But
given that most of us are genuinely busy a lot of
the time, it’s a good idea to start noting how
many hours of rest you get and also notice those
moments when you are in fact getting some rest.
Try to resist the habit many of us have got into
of fetishising busyness, give yourself permission
to rest and when you are doing something
restful, really appreciate the satisfying nature
of it and don’t allow those precious moments
to pass you by.THE RIGHT TYPE OF REST
When it comes to choosing how to spend your
rest time, think carefully about the types of
activity which you do or don’t find restful. It’s
also important to consider timing. Different
restful activities will work better in differentHow we relax
The most popular pastime choices of
the 18,000 respondents of The Rest Testsituations.Ifyou’rephysicallyexhausted,then
it’sfinetof lopinfrontofthetelevision.Butif
yourmindiswearywithworkandworry,taking
a walkoutsidemightimproveyourmoodmore.
Whenyoufeelstressed,spend 15 minutesdoing
yourfavouriterestfulactivity.Itmightbe
mindfulness,music,reading,orsomething
different.Andif youfindyourselffeelingguilty,
remindyourselfyou’represcribing 15 minutes
ofactivityforyourmentalhealthandyou’llfeel
instantlybetterforit.
TakenfromTheArtofRest:HowtoFind
RespiteintheModernAgebyClaudia
Hammond(Canongate).Claudiaworked
ontheRestTestprojectandalsopresents
AllintheMindonBBCRadio4.“Give yourself permission to restand
appreciate the satisfactionof it”
Reading– Chosenby58%ofpeople,in large
partreadingfeelsrestfulbecauseit allows
ustoescapeourownworlds.Wecanread
a bookatourownpace,in ourownway.
Spendingtimein nature– Manyofusseem
tohaveaninstinctthatnatureis goodfor
us.Theresearchbacksit up,showingthat
beingin a naturalplaceis calmingand
allowsustorestbetter.
I wanttobealone– Wespend29%of
ourwakingtimealone,butoftennotdoing
veryrestfulactivities(commuting,working,
admin).Nottobeconfusedwithloneliness,
choosingtospendtimein restfulsolitude
allowsustoretreatandtendtoouremotions
andstimulatecreativityandnewideas.
Listeningtomusic– Musichasproven
psychologicalbenefitsandthemost
importantfactorseemstobehowmuch
youengagewithwhatyou’reactually
listeningto.Whetherit’sMozartor
Madonna,listeningtomusicthatyou
enjoyis howtoreapthemostbenefits.
Doingnothingin particular– We’re
conditionedtobelievethateffortleads
tosuccessandsedentarylifestylesare
bad.Havingmomentsofrestwhereyoudo
nothing,takingbreaksandholidaysarenot
onlyfine,they’repositivelygoodforyou.the week, so you might have only two hours’ rest
during the week and a lot of spare time at the
weekend. And, obviously, five hours of rest
doesn’t mean you need to set aside that amount
of time to do nothing. For some people cooking
meals or going for a run is relaxing and enjoyable
and might be a part of their rest time.
And it’s not the case that the more rest you
get, the better. When your time spent resting
goes above this point, wellbeing levels begin to
drop again, and the nourishing effects seem to
disappear completely once it’s enforced. But
given that most of us are genuinely busy a lot of
the time, it’s a good idea to start noting how
many hours of rest you get and also notice those
moments when you are in fact getting some rest.
Try to resist the habit many of us have got into
of fetishising busyness, give yourself permission
to rest and when you are doing something
restful, really appreciate the satisfying nature
of it and don’t allow those precious moments
to pass you by.THE RIGHT TYPE OF REST
When it comes to choosing how to spend your
rest time, think carefully about the types of
activity which you do or don’t find restful. It’s
also important to consider timing. Different
restful activities will work better in differentHow we relax
The most popular pastime choices of
the 18,000 respondents of The Rest Test