With the winter break fast approaching, many students and their families are turning their minds to a time to rest. Whether it be a family holiday or simply the reduced pressure of a few weeks off sports training, co-curricular or assignments, breaks give us time to re-set, refocus and most importantly, rest.
Rest is one of the key components of well-being and is very important for teenage development. A lot of research has been done into the benefits of sleep but rest, in particular unplugging from the digital world, is just as important.
Resting and unplugging is vital to long term health because it heals your body, reduces stress, boosts creativity, improves productivity and enhances decision making processes.
So how do we rest? During the Formation program this term, we have examined the role of gratitude in our lives. Practicing and expressing gratitude can release endorphins which allows the nervous system to function in a rest state. We can also cultivate healthy habits such as regular physical activity and nutritious eating, regular sunshine, mindfulness or simply spending time in nature without a digital distraction.
Whatever the plan is for the upcoming winter break, make sure it involves plenty of deliberate downtime to ensure a strong and successful Semester 2.
Claire Devlin
Head of Clancy House