Rest

In the urban U.S., we live in a bath of constant stimulation. Traffic, construction vehicles, crowded sidewalks. People insulate themselves from external stimulation by wearing earplugs, attached to an iPod or iPhone. In homes, televisions often stay turned on without constant viewers. Radios patter with a selection ranging demagogues to smarmy human interest stories. Phone communication for many is a constant. 

Sleep research has determined that adequate sleep is absolutely necessary for proper brain function. Sleep quality is lessened by external stimuli. So, unless a person is getting a solid chunk of sleep in a quiet setting every twenty-four hours, that person will be somewhat impaired or diminished in his/her mental capacity. 

The point of practice is to maximize mental capacity and functionality. So, any healthy practice entails getting adequate rest. It is easy to overlook this when life becomes complicated. However, overlooking it does not mean the negative effects of poor rest habits are not eroding mental capacity. In fact, the more sleep-deprived a person becomes, the less effective is his/her judgment. 

Making sure I get enough sleep, sometimes supplemented with a late-day rest period, has been a key part of my daily practice for many years. I worked overnight shifts in medical settings for over a decade. This heightened my awareness of the necessity of proper sleep habits. Learning to rest when the body calls for rest is an important piece of self-understanding. Without proper sleep, the mind is ill-equipped to make sustainable personal progress.