Imagine this:

You are right here, right now, in a place of peace. You feel connected. You feel soft and open. You can notice all the beauty around you, you can hear the softness around you, you feel grounded and anchored. You are in the moment (and the moment, let’s be honest!).

This is rest. Less about turning off and more about turning in. What does your body need? How can you hold space? How can you honor it, hold it and listen?

When I first started leaning into rest for healing, this was one of the scariest things to learn. Because what would I have to surrender and release if I rested? What stories? What attachments?

I am convinced 99% of people would see better health if they learned how to rest. Let me prove it to you on the topic of sleep:

When we are in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep the body releases a growth hormone that allows us to grow bone by signaling the liver to secrete insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and causes muscle growth by stimulating amino acid uptake and protein synthesis. In addition, when we are in REM our bodies make more white blood cells to attack viruses and bacteria and regulates hormones that influence appetite control. In fact, a 2018 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that wound healing is delayed in sleep deprived individuals. Poor sleep has also been linked to an increased risk for hormonal imbalance, adrenal fatigue, cardiovascular disorders, type II diabetes, memory and information processing difficulties, depression, decision making and impulse control.

The truth is sleep isn’t the only kind of rest we can benefit from. We have this supernatural ability to self repair from normalizing rest in our bodies on the daily. I would equate this to learning to operate out of calm instead of “busy” and “stress”. For many of us, this is all we have ever known. From a young age we found value and worth in productivity and “doing more.” This could not be more damaging to female physiology. Our hormones work off of a 28 day cycle- not 24 hours. Our bodies aren’t wired to be nonstop in productivity and being “online”. And how do I see it show up in the clients I work with?

Constant anxiety and fear

Trouble losing weight

Disordered eating

Hormone Imbalance

Adrenal Fatigue

Chronic/Autoimmune Illness

From Thich Nhat Hanh, renowned Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, “When we humans get sick, we just worry! We look for doctors and medicine, but we don’t stop. Even when we go to the beach or the mountains for a vacation, we don’t rest, and we come back more tired than before. We have to learn to rest.”

Instead of thinking you need to do more or that you aren’t doing enough, what would it look like if you actually sunk into doing less and refined what you were doing? The mantra ‘less is more’ tells no lies- this isn’t some secret voodoo magic. I have found it to be 100% true! When you calm the mind, you build self trust. You connect to your authentic truth. You become a freakin MAGNET of attraction because you are safe in yourself and your body, which radiates high frequencies.

Here are some of the tools you need for finding more rest (I promise I kept this super and easy):

1. Connect to your breath. If it sounds simple, it’s because it is. I realized in my own healing journey a few years ago that I was breathing all wrong! And I made it easy for you to learn how to optimize your breath by doing a series with breath facilitator Ali Levine so that you could have tools you could come back to over and over again. Beyond the Breath includes 3 sessions of breathwork and group mind body spirit release, as well as take home toolbox for you to continue to have support beyond our sessions. This is an incredible value that you will treasure for years to come. You can grab it here.

2. Epsom salt baths. Ok truth: Are you more of a shower person or bath person? I am FOR SURE a bath person through and through. I light some non toxic candles, through in some epsom salt and get out my journal or a good book. I enjoy every single second of it. I calm my mind and take it as time to listen to my body. I teach you how to get more out of your bath life (juicy secrets!) here.

3. Gratitude journaling. This simple act has profound results. Gratitude journaling can have a significant impact on reducing stress levels and improving mental and emotional wellbeing. By focusing on positive aspect and glimmers in life, gratitude journaling can help shift our attention away from stress and worry, to strength and calm. I give you the tools to help you start this here.

4. Meditation. If you are already grimacing, I get it! Meditation can feel soooo out of reach. Clients will often tell me there is no way they can calm down their mind to meditate. The important thing is it start low and slow- just start with a few minutes and build up! And if your mind drifts off, bring it back to the meditation, its okay! Tools I like for support with this include the Calm and the Insight Timer apps.

5. Decluttering. If things full and heavy, we are often being ushered into a time and space of purging and releasing. Our body tells us its tired when it’s carrying to much, both consciously and subconsciously. What relationships are toxic that you need to release? Is there a job or area of your home that needs decluttering? Whereever you can release extra energy that’s consuming you is going to allow your body to rest and release more fully. Lean into any cues your body is giving you about something that feels tiring to your body and soul. Reflect on this and see where you can make shifts.

Ready to rewire your body to find safety in rest as oppose to chaos and frenzy? Start working together with me in my Expansion program! You can apply here to be able to share your top priorities for working together. Your life, transformed is what we are about at Lindsay Tuttle NP, and it’s through metaphysical and quantum modalities we are able to reacalibrate the body for better health, relationships and wealth.

Anything you would add to this list of restful practices? Please share and comment on the blog post!