Prioritizing Rest

Take care of your mental and physical health this fall by incorporating regular breaks into your day.

By Sarah Timbie

Back-to-school season is an energetic time of year full of possibility, but it’s also a period that can be stressful. While summer has traditionally served as vacation season, it’s crucial to continue incorporating breaks into your routine for optimal mental and physical health. Daniele Fallin, PhD, dean of the Rollins School of Public Health, shares her insights into the importance of taking breaks and the benefits they provide.

It is healthy to rest.

Taking breaks has benefits that span mental, physical, and emotional well-being. They provide the brain with time to rest and recharge from sustained periods of focus, which can prevent mental fatigue, make you a better worker, and even a better learner. Breaks are paramount for stress reduction, which can have impacts on both your mental and physical health. Physically, breaks are important to get your body moving during the day to avoid muscle strain that could lead to pain and more serious musculoskeletal issues later in life.

Find moments of mindfulness.

There are many options for breaks. Fallin is an advocate for finding space for moments of mindfulness during the day and allowing the brain to relax.

“[Mindfulness] is a form of a break, and there's great evidence that [practicing mindfulness] prepares you for being able to take on all kinds of experiences and stressors if you allow yourself to have those moments.”

Mindfulness often involves meditation but can also be integrated with movement or activity such as eating, walking, or stretching. The practice of mindfulness itself is associated with many health benefits, such as reduced anxiety and depression, healthier eating, reduced blood pressure, and improved sleep.

Get up and move!

Breaks can also include physical activity such as micro-workouts. The mental and physical benefits of exercise are substantial, and adding a few minutes of vigorous activity into your day may lower your risk of heart disease and cancer. If you spend much of your day sitting, getting up and moving around for even two minutes at a time can increase your metabolism, increase blood flow, and lower your risk of a variety of health problems.

Working for too long in one position, especially when sitting and using a computer, can lead to back and neck pain. Getting up and stretching or moving every half hour is a great way to keep tension from accumulating in the body.

Set down the screens.

Unfortunately, not all breaks are equally effective. Ideally, breaks help the brain recover and recharge from taxing tasks. Something like scrolling through your social media feed or spending time on your phone may be more trying than relaxing due to overstimulation. Overuse of electronic devices has also been associated with decreased attention span, concentration, and working memory.

Make room for time off.

Taking longer periods of time off from work or school, such as the weekends or full vacations, is also important for your mind and body. When it comes to longer vacations, Fallin recommends completely disconnecting from work.

“Take a full break. When you're off, you're off. Do things that bring you joy, that help you rejuvenate, that give you rest, whatever that means for you, so that when you are working, you're fully present, you're healthy, and you're able to be productive.”

Longer vacations do not make up for long periods without breaks, and ideally, you should be doing both. Setting boundaries during break time can set you up for success. Avoid bringing work home with you or answering emails during your time off, as detaching from work during off-hours has been associated with higher life satisfaction and improved mental health.

Find what works best for you.

Finding the time and prioritizing taking a break can be difficult sometimes. Fallin reminds readers that taking time for yourself is not only important for your mental and physical health, but it can also make you an overall better worker. “If you aren't keeping yourself healthy for what's to come, ultimately you won't be a good therapist, a good researcher, or a good service provider or barista, whatever it may be.”

Planning to set times for breaks during the day can keep you accountable. Even if you do not take the break, setting specific times to check in with how you are feeling is a great step towards being more in tune with your needs. Taking breaks is different for everyone, and you may have to experiment with timing to find what works best for you.

Taking breaks is essential for maintaining our physical and mental health. Whether through mindfulness, movement, or disconnecting from electronics, these moments help us recharge and stay productive. As Fallin reminds us, “[Taking breaks is] like every other part of public health prevention strategies: [finding] what is going to be the best answer for the long-term sustainability of whatever you're passionate about.”