When Weariness Sets In. Why taking time to rest isn’t being lazy – it’s being smart

By Carl A. Trapani, MA, MS, LPC, Chippewa Manor Campus Chaplain

There comes a point every August when even the squirrels seem to move in slow motion. The lawn mower suddenly weighs twice as much, the grocery store parking lot feels three miles wide, and simply walking to the mailbox becomes "today's exercise." Summer heat has a remarkable way of reminding us that we're not twenty-five anymore. And August can be really hot – sort of a warm-weather spillover from July.  

Of course, weariness isn't just about hot weather. Life itself can wear us down. We get tired from caring for others, running errands, keeping medical appointments, worrying about family, paying bills, solving problems, and trying to remember why we walked into the kitchen in the first place.  (Usually the answer is, "I forgot.")

One of the funniest things about getting older is how differently we define a "busy day." Years ago, a busy day meant working eight hours, mowing the lawn, coaching Little League, fixing the sink, and still having energy to grill hamburgers.  Today, a busy day might include getting dressed, finding your glasses—which were on your head the whole time—going to one doctor's appointment, and because of that limited activity, feeling like you've ran a marathon and climbed Mt. Everest by the time supper is served.  Let me re-assure you that's perfectly okay. 

Part of weariness comes from our culture that celebrates being constantly busy. The media promotes the admiration of people who are always rushing somewhere - burning their candle at both ends as well as the middle. Yet even rechargeable batteries eventually run down. Your cellphone reminds you to plug it in every night. Your car needs fuel. Even professional athletes schedule recovery days because muscles become stronger during rest—not during exercise.  So why do we think people should be different?  Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is...take a nap.

Ask almost any grandparent, and they'll tell you that a twenty-minute afternoon nap can accomplish what three cups of coffee never could. Somehow the world looks a little brighter afterward. Problems seem smaller, patience returns, and you stop wondering whether the television remote has secretly learned how to hide from you.  Rest isn't just sleeping, either.

Rest can be sitting on the porch watching birds argue over the bird feeder. It can be reading a good mystery novel, listening to your favorite music, working a jigsaw puzzle, fishing without worrying whether anything bites, or enjoying a quiet conversation with a friend who doesn't mind comfortable silences.

Scientists have long known that regular periods of rest improve memory, lower stress, sharpen concentration, and even help the body heal. Our brains continue sorting information while we're relaxing, much like a computer installing updates in the background. No wonder we often think of solutions after we've stopped trying so hard. Have you ever noticed that your best ideas and answers to questions that have been puzzling you often arrive while you're taking a shower, walking the dog, or sitting quietly with a cup of coffee?  That's no accident.  When you allow your brain a chance to rest up and slow down, it often finds ways to open up new neuronal pathways leading to solutions. 

Many people feel guilty about slowing down, as though resting is somehow wasting time. But consider this: if you keep driving a car with the gas gauge on empty, sooner or later you'll end up sitting beside the road.  People work much the same way.  The goal isn't to see how long we can run without stopping. The goal is to enjoy the journey—and have enough energy left to appreciate it.

So, if you're feeling weary this summer, give yourself permission to slow down. Sit in the shade. Read another chapter. Watch the sunset. Call an old friend. Take that nap.  The dishes will still be there.  And if they aren't, someone else finally washed them.  Now that is refreshing.

Carl Trapani, MA, MS, LPC serves as campus Chaplain at Chippewa Manor. He has more than 50 years of pastoral service and professional counseling experience. For more information please call (715) 723-4437 or email him at carl.trapani@chippewamanor.com.