When Rest Feels Unsafe - The Hidden Cost of Constant Doing
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May 11, 2025
In a world obsessed with productivity, the struggle to rest can spark anxiety. The discussion reveals how constant doing creates a false sense of safety, leading to a dysregulated nervous system. Small 'micropauses' are suggested to ease into stillness, paired with comforting cues for safety. Cultural guilt surrounding rest is tackled, reframing it as a biological necessity rather than laziness. Listeners are encouraged to integrate scheduled pauses into daily routines to foster mental wellness and alleviate stress.
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insights INSIGHT
Rest Can Trigger Activation
Rest can feel activating because stillness removes distracting buffers and brings up stored sensations or emotions.
A nervous system stuck in sympathetic dominance interprets rest as vulnerability and threat.
insights INSIGHT
Doing Becomes A Learned Safety Signal
The body can wire doing as safety when survival required constant activity or vigilance.
Over time, productivity and busyness become coping mechanisms that feel safer than stillness.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Start With Micropauses
Build capacity for stillness with small, manageable doses rather than long silent meditations.
Use micropauses like 30 seconds of intentional stillness and short movement before settling.
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In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the constant need to do, achieve, and produce. But what happens when rest feels unsafe, and the thought of slowing down fills you with anxiety?
In this video, we'll explore the hidden cost of constant doing and how it affects our mental health, nervous system regulation, and overall well-being.
We'll discuss why rest is necessary, not just a luxury, and how adopting restorative habits and practices can help alleviate anxiety, stress, and nervous system dysregulation.
By embracing slow living and incorporating grounding techniques and exercises into our daily lives, we can learn to prioritise self-care, self-improvement, and self-healing.
Join me as we delve into the importance of rest and how it can be a powerful tool for anxiety relief, stress relief, and overall mental wellness.
Key takeaways:
- Rest can feel threatening to a dysregulated nervous system.
- The body wires doing as safety, making stillness feel unsafe.
- Chronic doing can lead to anxiety and disconnection from the body.
- Building capacity for stillness should start with small doses.
- Micro pauses can help transition into stillness.
- Pairing rest with safety cues can create a sense of comfort.
- Guilt around rest is often learned from societal values.
- Reframing rest as regulation helps alleviate guilt.
- Scheduled pauses can be integrated into daily routines.
- Every small moment of rest contributes t
Key takeaways:
- Rest can feel threatening to a dysregulated nervous system.
- The body wires doing as safety, making stillness feel unsafe.
- Chronic doing can lead to anxiety and disconnection from the body.
- Building capacity for stillness should start with small doses.
- Micro pauses can help transition into stillness.
- Pairing rest with safety cues can create a sense of comfort.
- Guilt around rest is often learned from societal values.
- Reframing rest as regulation helps alleviate guilt.
- Scheduled pauses can be integrated into daily routines.
- Every small moment of rest contributes to overall well-being.
Chapters
00:00 The Uncomfortable Truth About Rest
02:51 Understanding the Dysregulated Nervous System
06:03 Building Safety in Stillness
08:15 Reframing Rest as a Biological Necessity
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