Making time to take a “slow day” may sound daunting, yet the benefits are numerous and well worth the effort. This experience impacts our health directly, reducing our stress level, improving our mental and physical health and enhancing our ability to be creative and focus. By allowing our body and mind to rest and recharge, we are giving our nervous system the message to shift from high alert to one of calm.
Here’s how it works: The Parasympathetic and Sympathetic are two branches of our nervous system that work together to maintain balance in our body. When we slow down, rest and breathe deeply or spend time doing leisure activities such as reading or walking, the Parasympathetic segment is triggered. It acts to lower our heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension and lets our body know that it’s safe to relax. Conversely, the Sympathetic nervous system triggers our “fight-or-flight” response to get our body ready for action in stressful or dangerous situations.
- Reduces Sympathetic Nervous System Overload: In daily life our sympathetic nervous system, is constantly triggered by deadlines, screens, and multitasking. A slow day helps to quiet this system, reducing the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. It allows the body to repair and replenish energy.
- Improves Heart Rate Variability (HRV): HRV measures the variation in time between heartbeats and a higher HRV is a sign of a more resilient, adaptable nervous system. The activities that are common to engage in on a slow day such as resting, time in nature or massage, can improve HRV, enhancing stress recovery.
- Enhances Neuroplasticity and Focus: When our brain isn’t flooded with stress signals, it has more capacity for creativity, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. When we rest our brain consolidates memory and integrates new learning.
- Promotes Emotional Balance: Calming the nervous system helps regulate our mood and reduces symptoms of anxiety or irritability. Over time, more frequent breaks or slow days can train our body to return more easily to a relaxed state after periods of stress.
In effect, a slow day gives our nervous system the breathing room it needs to reset. It’s not just relaxation; it’s biological repair and helps our body and mind return to or create a new equilibrium.