9 signs that indicate that we need to rest

Immersed in the maelstrom in which our daily lives take place, we allow ourselves to be carried away by inertia. This inertia does not usually include an important activity, that of listening to the messages that our body sends us. Furthermore, if we classify these signals by their degree of importance, then at the highest level of the hierarchy we would find those signals that tell us that we need to rest.

“I can handle that and more,” we tell ourselves. We feel obliged to move forward, out of love for our loved ones, out of a sense of responsibility. Because we feel better that way (or so we think), because that’s what we’re supposed to do (who says that?). Because if others do it, that’s what we all have to do.

But, if we do not stop “our machine” by chance, it is likely that, sooner rather than later, the machine will stop by itself. Stopping in time is not a sign of weakness or cowardice, but rather a sign of sanity and love towards yourself, towards those who depend on you and towards those who matter to you.

So how do you know when it’s time to stop? What signals does our body send us to tell us that we need to rest?

What are the signs that indicate that we need to rest?

When we need to rest, the body usually lets us know in different ways. Ignoring these signs will not only not end the problem, but will usually aggravate it further. These signals are signs of stress, tiredness, discouragement, disappointment… that must be attended to.

If you experience several of the following signs, it is time for you to start thinking about taking a break, and at the same time review your routine, your priorities and your real needs. The more you identify the signs we describe below, the more necessary it will be for you to take a break.

1 – You feel tired, more tired than usual

Being tired due to prolonged and/or intense physical or mental effort is normal. What is not normal is carrying that tiredness day after day, throughout the day, from the beginning of the week to the end, from the time you get up to the time you go to bed.

2 – You can’t make it through the day without stimulants

Whether it’s caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, sugar or any type of drug, tricking the body with stimulants only offers a temporary solution to fatigue. In fact, in the long run, there’s a good chance they’ll make it worse. Precisely for this reason we increasingly need a higher dose of these stimulants to achieve the same effect.

3 – You have a hard time maintaining concentration

Whether due to fatigue or another reason, an early sign that it is necessary to stop for a while is not being able to maintain focus on the tasks that are being carried out. Daydreaming, multitasking or the tendency to procrastinate can be a sign that alerts us that we are working with very little energy reserves.

4 – You work longer and longer

Working longer does not mean doing more. But when we start to reduce productivity due to fatigue and difficulty focusing, we somehow feel like we have to put in more hours to compensate for the drop in performance. The bad thing is that many times this doing more becomes a thing of being or doing something to do, without this leading anywhere other than increased fatigue.

5 – You always think about work

It’s funny that when you need a break, despite being tired and overexerted, you can’t really think about anything else. Even when you can rest, you feel guilty, and even though you don’t have to go to work, you somehow still do it, if only because you’re thinking about it.

6 – You are continually in a bad mood

Tiredness usually puts us in a bad mood. But when the fatigue is extreme and the body really needs a break, that bad mood becomes continuous. If, in addition to being grumpy all day, you tend to be cynical, unpleasant, rude, or rude, it’s a sign that you need to stop.

7 – You have problems remembering information

Tiredness and stress can cause you problems remembering the simplest information. If you find that you frequently forget things as simple as where you put your keys or don’t remember to add a basic ingredient when you cook, confuse common things or change objects, you probably need a break: reset your mind.

8 – Your health is deteriorating

Continuous fatigue and stress affect the immune system, so your health is affected, making you more sensitive to colds and flu. You may also experience worrying weight gain or loss or have frequent headaches or migraines, or even have an increased resting pulse, which implies an increased risk of heart disease.

9 – You make more and more mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes, and there is nothing wrong with that. But when these mistakes are made too frequently, even more so if they are silly mistakes, it is time to start worrying. Because what is now a silly mistake without much importance may at some point become something very serious.

Stop to rest, but also to think

When we talk about taking a break, it is usually because we need to rest physically and mentally. It is necessary to let go and air out the mind, release stress and allow the body to recover. But we are also talking about stop to think, to rethink the situation and analyze what we are doing, what is happening to us.

This inertia in which we find ourselves involved does not always allow us to think clearly. It is easier to let go, to continue submerged in this fog following the inertia that we have already created. However, this progress in the long run has a price, which will normally include a longer and obligatory break due to illness. Worth?

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