True Rest and Nourishing Your Nervous System
True rest is about slowing down, finding balance, and giving your body and mind the care they need. By nourishing your nervous system with true rest, you create a foundation of calm, resilience, and balance that allows you to move through life with greater ease, clarity, and joy.
Here’s a gentle guide to resting deeply, reconnecting with yourself, and nourishing your nervous system in alignment with slow and intentional living.
What Is True Rest?
True rest goes beyond just sitting down or sleeping—it’s about intentionally creating space for your body, mind, and heart to fully relax and replenish. It’s the kind of rest that allows you to recover from stress, release tension, and reconnect with yourself. True rest isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s deeply personal and rooted in listening to what you truly need.
For some, true rest might mean lying quietly in stillness or taking a restorative nap. For others, it could be found in gentle movement like a slow walk in nature, journaling your thoughts, or engaging in a creative flow state.
What feels restful will also change depending on the season of life you’re in, the energy you have, and the challenges you’re facing. Some days, rest might look like quiet solitude, while other times, it could mean seeking comfort in connection or movement. By tuning in and honoring these shifts, you create space for rest to truly nourish you, no matter where you are or what you’re going through.
Unlike distractions, like mindless scrolling, zoning out, or multitasking, true rest nourishes your nervous system, helps regulate your emotions, and leaves you feeling lighter, calmer, and more in tune with yourself. It’s about slowing down, honouring your limits, and creating moments of true peace.
Why True Rest and Nervous System Care Go Hand-in-Hand
Your nervous system has two main modes: the fight-or-flight response (activated during stress) and the rest-and-digest state (where healing and relaxation happen). With constant stimulation and stressors from our environment, it is easy to spend too much time in fight-or-flight, leaving us tense, anxious, and tired. True rest helps shift your nervous system back into rest-and-digest mode, allowing your body and mind to restore balance.
When you nourish your nervous system, you’re not just resting for a moment—you’re supporting your body’s ability to heal, recharge, and maintain a sense of lasting calm and balance.
How to Set Yourself Up for Deep Rest
Rest doesn’t always happen naturally in a busy life. Here’s how to make rest a priority:
Create a Restful Space
Make your surroundings a sanctuary. Use soft lighting, comfort items, and declutter distractions to invite relaxation.
Embrace Rhythms and Rituals
Create a sacred morning ritual to start your day grounded and uplifted. Embrace a few seasonal rituals that bring you joy and keep you connected to the natural rhythms of the changing seasons.
Build Rest into Your Day
Add small pockets of rest into your daily life—five minutes to breathe deeply, a moment to savour a cup of tea, or an early evening spent watching the sunset.
Set Healthy Boundaries
Boundaries are essential for protecting your energy and giving yourself space to rest. Learn more about setting healthy boundaries.
Listen to Your Body
Tune in to what your body and nervous system need. Are you craving movement, stillness, connection, or solitude? Trust yourself to know what kind of rest will nourish you.
5 Ways to Nourish Your Nervous System with True Rest
1. Support Your Body’s Recovery
Your body carries you through so much every day. Physical rest allows your muscles to relax and your nervous system to reset.
Try this: Lie down in a quiet space and focus on deep, slow breaths. Let every part of your body sink into relaxation.
Gentle movement: Slow yoga, stretching, or a leisurely walk can release built-up tension while still being restful.
Prioritise sleep: Set up a bedtime ritual to help you wind down—dim the lights, read something soothing, or listen to calming sounds.
2. Create Calm for Your Senses
If you’re constantly bombarded by noise, screens, and bright lights, giving your senses a break is a powerful way to soothe your nervous system.
Try this: Turn off notifications, dim the lights, and sit in silence or listen to soft, calming music.
Ground yourself in nature: Sit outside, listen to birdsong, or feel the earth under your feet.
Simplify your environment: Declutter your space and choose textures, colors, and scents that feel soothing.
3. Let Your Heart Breathe
Our emotions are deeply tied to our nervous system. Emotional rest means giving yourself permission to feel and release what you’re carrying.
Try this: Journal your feelings or share them with someone you trust. Let yourself process without judgment.
Set boundaries: Say no to things that overwhelm you, and make space for what truly nourishes you.
Practice self-compassion: Speak to yourself with kindness and treat yourself with the same patience, understanding, and care you would offer to a dear friend or a younger version of yourself.
4. Quiet Your Busy Mind
Mental overload can leave your nervous system in overdrive. Mental rest helps you slow down and declutter your thoughts.
Try this: Do a brain dump—write down everything that’s swirling in your mind so you can release it.
Be present: Focus on a single, simple task, like washing dishes or sipping tea, and let your mind rest in the moment.
Meditate or breathe: Even a few minutes of mindful breathing can help calm your nervous system.
5. Flow State
Flow state is when you lose yourself in an activity that feels effortless and engaging—it’s a kind of active rest for the soul. This type of rest nourishes your nervous system by quieting overthinking and connecting you to the present moment.
Try this: Engage in something creative or soothing, like painting, gardening, cooking, or knitting.
Lose track of time: Choose an activity that feels absorbing but doesn’t pressure you to perform or achieve.
Let it be playful: Flow happens best when you approach it with curiosity and joy.
Final Thoughts
True rest is a gift to yourself and your nervous system. It’s an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and nourish your whole being. When you rest deeply, you’ll find that life feels gentler, more balanced, and full of quiet beauty.
What’s your favourite way to rest and nourish yourself? Let me know—I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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