I think most of us already know that adults need 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep to function at our most effective level.

Getting sufficient sleep enables us to be creative, make decisions, learn new things, and more effectively manage stress.

Blah, blah, blah…I’m sure you’ve heard all of that before.

But did you know that in addition to getting sufficient sleep at night, you also need to incorporate rest into your day?

During our waking hours, we have 90-minute cycles where we move from higher to lower levels of alertness.  Our bodies send signals such as hunger, drowsiness, fidgetiness, or loss of focus when we need rest.

Rather than grabbing another cup of coffee or eating those carbs you’ve been craving, you can give yourself an energy boost by allowing yourself to rest.

What?  C’mon, Amy, I don’t have time to nap during the day!  I’m busy!

Don’t worry; if you can’t squeeze in a 20-minute power nap, here are some ways you can incorporate active rest and give yourself an energy boost:

• Physically: Step away from the computer and do some deep breathing and stretching
• Mentally: Silence your phone and take a few minutes to meditate, focus on gratitude or listen to soothing music
• Socially: Do a quick catch up with family or friends, or connect with a coworker and talk about non-work-related things
• Spiritually: Find a quiet place to close your eyes and say a prayer

Try incorporating rest 4-times a day, roughly every three hours.  It will enable you to recover from those energy lulls quicker, be more efficient and effective throughout the day and even sleep better at night.

Now that your done reading, take a break and do one of these active rest ideas!

Wishing you the best!