Culturally, we’ve acknowledged our fixation with “digital overwhelm” and “millennial burnout,” but many still find themselves immersed in the usual digital cacophony even when taking a break from work or studies. Think about it: Do you listen to your favourite podcast or scrolling through Instagram when you shower, work out, or eat? Are your senses still dwelling in the blue light after a long day at work?
If that’s the case, you might be missing out on the magic of daydream, or stare blankly into space, or simply put—the act of doing nothing at all. Here’s where “waking rest” comes into play, with studies indicating that it’s of the “fourth puzzle piece” to wellness. Waking rest is a period of quiet, reflective thought that’s void of effortful and distracting stimuli such as arousal, vigilance, hunger and thirst, and more. Research has shown that memory may also be consolidated during short periods of quiet waking rest interspersed throughout the day.
In this period of self isolation, one could say it's brewing the perfect timing for self reflection in a broader sense against the backdrop of a pandemic. Read the full story of the essential nothingness of quiescence—so you can truly rest and reset—on harpersbazaar.my
Picture via Lana Del Rey, Mariano Vivanco
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