Rest: health benefits

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Extract from the article: Rest is a natural factor of well-being. It's the best way to replenish the energy you need to keep your body and mind in good working order. To work without rest is to accumulate toxins in the body and, worse still, to reduce the effectiveness of,...

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Rest is a natural factor of well-being. It's the best way to replenish the energy you need to keep your body and mind in good working order. To work without rest is to accumulate toxins in the body and, worse still, to reduce the effectiveness of the immune system. Lack of rest leads to illness. A period of rest is necessary to restore the body, recover energy and eliminate toxins.

It's often said that “work heals”. But work without rest is destructive. In the course of its work, the human body generates carbon dioxide, lactic acid and many other waste products and toxins. When these accumulate in the body and the body is unable to eliminate them, the result is a kind of progressive “poisoning”, characterized by a sort of sluggish functioning.

The importance of rest in a worker's life

Rest is the temporary cessation or reduction of work. All activity, whether physical or mental, consumes energy.  When the body is active, the nutrients needed by cells to create energy are gradually transformed into waste products. A period of rest is therefore necessary to allow them to be eliminated, the body to be restored and energy to be recovered.

Risks associated with lack of rest

It's normal to feel strong and tired at the same time. If rest is not observed, the body becomes overloaded and intoxicated. Lack of rest and reduced energy are at the root of many health problems: chronic fatigue, stress, heart attacks, cardiovascular risks and nervous breakdowns.

Rules for boosting energy

For people whose body functions more slowly due to lack of rest, the following rules are recommended: get the necessary hours of sleep at night, take a short nap of around 15 to 20 minutes in the middle of the day, eat a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables; if necessary, supplement your diet with nutritional supplements and vitamins, and take a vacation to give yourself a real rest. Time off in a worker's life shouldn't just be an opportunity to travel the world.

Recommended supplements

Vitamin C offers protection against microbes, helps combat fatigue and strengthens the immune system. The B vitamin complex is involved in the body's production of energy. Calcium and magnesium, vitamin D and zinc contribute to the proper functioning of the nervous system and boost the immune system, while vitamin D ensures better utilization of calcium and magnesium.

Warning

Stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks can have serious side-effects over time. Beware of sustained, intense intellectual effort without rest, stimulants and abuse of tranquilizing drugs. If you're feeling intensely tired, stressed all day long, on edge and taking a dim view of everything, it could be the “rest vitamin” that's missing.  In this case, taking vitamins is good, but rest would be even better. Rest: your health depends on it.

By William O.

Article validated by Dr Jean-Claude Bakpatina, General Practitioner at the Floréal Clinic in Lomé.