Hello everyone. Welcome back to the daily senior
safety advice podcast. I'm Esther Kane, retired
occupational therapist and a certified aging
in place specialist. And this is March, which
is mobility and independence month. And in honor
of that today, we're going to talk about why
rest is just as important as movement. And I
want to start off by reminding you or saying
something that Well, that can get overlooked.
Rest is not being lazy. Resting is actually being
smart. You know, I hear it from several people.
I hear it on social media. I hear it on the news.
I hear it a lot of places. I should be doing
more. I hate sitting still. I feel guilty resting.
And honestly, that mindset can really wear you
down. What I've noticed over the years in working
with older adults is that many seniors push themselves
past what their bodies can recover from. They
keep going even when they're tired and they ignore
little warning signs. I have a little story for
you. I used to live in a neighborhood with my
late husband that had a tennis court there or
maybe a few tennis courts. I don't know. And
a lot of people in the neighborhood played tennis.
I would go to some events in the evening and
I would see people hobbling about or, you know,
bent over in pain or with some kind of brace
or something on their leg. or sitting on the
sofa with packs of ice on their shoulder or their
elbow or their knee or their ankle. And I would
ask, what happened to you? And the comment I
would get was, oh, I had to play tennis today.
I said, really? You had to play tennis today?
Oh, yeah, I'm in the league. I absolutely had
to. And my response was always the same. I think
your body is telling you something. But these
are the people who simply won't listen to their
body and get to the point where the injury is
beyond recovery. Eventually, the body pushes
back. So here's where this really matters. Movement,
of course, builds strength. But rest is what
lets the body repair. Without rest, muscles can't
recover. Joints stay irritated. Your energy drops,
your balance suffers, and that can quietly increase
your fall risk. So let's talk this through like,
you know, like we're neighbors and friends talking
to each other. When we move, muscles, of course,
work. They get tiny little stresses. That's normal
and that's healthy. But it's during rest that
those stresses, those in your muscles rebuild
and get stronger. The same thing happens with
the nervous system. Movement wakes it up and
rest calms it down. Both are needed. Moderation
is always the key. What I see a lot is people
who feel stiff or tired and think the answer
is always more movement. And yeah, sometimes
it is, but sometimes the body is actually asking
for rest. And that's usually when soreness lingers.
Fatigue doesn't go away or your balance feels
off for no clear reason. And here's something
that families don't always realize. Rest actually
improves your safety. Now, I don't mean resting
for three days in a row. I just mean moderation.
Moderation is the key. When someone is overtired,
reaction time slows, your focus drops, and steps
get sloppy. And that's when trips and falls are
more likely to happen. Rest helps the brain to
reset. It sharpens attention. It steadies movement.
Now, let's talk about what rest actually means
because this really matters. I want to clarify
it. Resting doesn't always mean lying down or
sleeping. Sometimes it just means stopping and
sitting, changing positions, letting the body
pause, a quiet few moments in a chair, feet up
for a few minutes, eyes closed. That counts,
5, 10, 15 minutes. And rest can be built into
the day, between chores, after a walk, before
fatigue hits. And that's the big one. Resting
works best when it happens before exhaustion.
I have seen people feel so much better just by
pacing themselves, doing a little activity and
then resting, then do another little bit and
then resting. That rhythm supports independence.
Now let's talk about the topic of rest and pain.
When joints are overworked, inflammation builds,
pain naturally increases, then, and movement
becomes guarded. Rest helps to calm that down.
It gives tissues time to settle, which often
makes the next movement easier, not harder. And
this is especially important for people with
arthritis, chronic pain, or balance concerns.
Another thing that we don't talk about enough
is actually mental rest. I mean, let's face it,
our brain gets tired too. You know, daily decision
making, problem solving, needing to stay alert,
all of that takes energy. And mental fatigue
can show up as clumsiness or forgetfulness, or
even feeling overwhelmed, anxiety increases.
Rest gives the brain space to recover and that's
why even a short time of rest can sometimes feel
like a reset button. Listening to your body is
definitely a skill. It takes practice. Noticing
early fatigue. Recognizing when resting for a
little bit would help. Giving yourself permission
to just stop and pause. That's not weakness,
that's really, really wisdom. And if you're a
caregiver, resting matters for you too, even
more so. Caregiving is physical and emotional
work. For many people, it's the hardest work
they've ever done. Burnout creeps in quietly.
Regular rest helps you stay present, patient,
and safer in your own movements. And that's very
important when you're helping others to move.
And here's the balance that I always encourage.
Move often, but rest regularly. One supports
the other. You don't have to choose between being
super active and being completely rested. You
need both. And when rest and movement work together,
something really great happens. Your energy tends
to improve, pain tends to decrease, and confidence
can grow. People start trusting their bodies
again. So if today you feel tired Take that as
information take that as your body talking to
you. It's not failure Rest when your body asks
move when it's ready That balance is one of the
best gifts that you can give yourself honestly
Well, that's what I have for you today. I want
to thank you so much for being here with me for
listening and for attending today's episode.
If today's episode gave you some useful insights
or some new ideas or tips, then please share
it with someone who you think might find it helpful
as well. And you can discover even more expert
tips and helpful guides for seniors and caregivers
at seniorsafetyadvice .com. And listen, if you're
searching for an aging in place specialist, then
or anyone to help you with home modifications
to make your home safer visit our website at
aging in place directory .com and come back tomorrow
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take care of yourself and the ones that you love.