But we’re often told how sleep is also important for our emotional state. Why is this?
Well as we go about our daily business we are occasionally faced with challenges. Some are big and some are small. In fact, some are so small we barely recognise them as a challenge. However, every time we are faced with any kind of challenge our mind does a thing called a cognitive assessment. It basically very quickly does a check to see if we have the physical and mental resources available to deal with the particular task we are confronted with.
If the answer is yes, then we just get on with doing it. However, if the answer is no then we only have a few options available to us.
One strategy your mind has is to avoid the difficulty altogether and put its energies into escaping the situation. We shut down and go and find something easier to do. Whist this isn’t the end of the world, it’s really not the best way of getting the big things done. If it’s worth doing then at some point we have to do it!
If we don’t perceive ourselves to have the necessary resources to complete the task at hand, we will often experience an emotional response specifically designed to enlist the hope of those that care about us. Your mind has a great way of calling for help: It has a demonstrable meltdown! If you’ve ever seen a child stop doing what it’s doing, collapse on the floor and start crying until someone comes along to assist…that’s their subconscious calling for help. Even though you are now an adult and a hissy fit isn’t the most mature way of dealing with things, your subconscious mind developed this strategy a long time ago, and as far as it is concerned if it worked then, it should work now!
Your mind has a great ability to draw on all your inner resources in one huge life saving effort. We call this the fight or flight response, where everything else you’re doing stops. When your mind requires the triggering of an instant life saving strategy then everything else is forgotten. Even if you’re starving hungry, desperately thirsty, or carrying an horrific injury, your mind is capable of ignoring all that to galvanise all of your resources and deal with the immediate danger to your existence.
In our everyday lives, when we absolutely have to do something but our mind doesn’t perceive the resources to do it effectively it will more than likely take option number three and put you into an adrenalised mode that will drain your resources, and if this continues will ultimately lead to high levels of anxiety.
This is why getting your rest is the most important thing you can do towards reducing anxiety and improving your mental state. If you start the day exhausted you leave yourself vulnerable to more extreme subconscious strategies. So when it comes to the importance of rest and recuperation it really isn’t just for physical reasons. The more drained of resources you become, the more likely your emotions will also become challenged and stretched.
So whatever tough stuff you have to do today, make sure you allow yourself time to rest and recover.
It’s another day tomorrow and you’ll want to be at your best.
Check out the video for more info:
If you’d like to find out the easiest way of adopting the very best mental strategies for happiness then check out my website and learn about The CONTROL System.
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