Hey everyone, this is your Health Bestie, Barbara!
Last time we explored how adding spices to your coffee can enhance its effects and contribute to better nutrition. But fueling your body is only part of the equation.
This time, we’re shifting gears to focus on something just as essential – recovery. And when it comes to recovery, it should feel like this:
“I’m walking on sunshine, yeah, yeah!
I’m walking on sunshine, yeah, yeah!
I’m walking on sunshine, yeah, yeah!
And don’t it feel good!”
That’s what good recovery feels like—like wearing air cushions for shoes, floating through the day with energy, confidence, and clarity. Stress rolls off effortlessly, decisions flow, and everything feels lighter.
But when recovery is off, it’s like carrying a heavy suitcase all day long. You’re dragging through every moment, second-guessing decisions, feeling irritable, sluggish, and foggy. Life feels like too much, and no matter how hard you push, you can’t shake the weight.
Recovery isn’t about rest—it’s about processing and resetting so you can show up at your best. It’s what separates thriving from surviving.
When we think of recovery, sleep is usually the first thing that comes to mind. And while quality sleep is a crucial piece of the puzzle, it’s not the only way to recharge. Recovery is about more than shutting your eyes—it’s about engaging in activities that allow your mind and body to reset, even while awake.
Let’s dive into what recovery means, how to measure it, and how to optimize it so you can walk on sunshine—every day.
How Sleep Differs from Other Forms of Recovery
Sleep is foundational to recovery, but it’s not the only way to reset and recharge. Sleep allows for cellular repair, memory consolidation, and hormone regulation. At the same time, recovery can also happen while awake—by switching gears and engaging different aspects of your brain.
- Physical recovery vs. Cognitive recovery: After physical exertion, recovery doesn’t always mean lying still. It can mean shifting to mental tasks like writing, reading, or playing an instrument.
- Mental strain vs. Creative recovery: If you’ve spent hours on analytical work, recovery might come from creative activities. To aide recovery, allow your brain to switch from logic to free-flowing ideas and creative expression.
- Emotional recovery: Sometimes, recovery means social connection, meditation, or laughter. These are ways to decompress without shutting down.
The Key Insight:
Recovery isn’t about stopping—it’s about switching. The best recovery isn’t always sleep but rather engaging in activities that refresh the part of the brain that was overworked.
Sleep vs. Other Forms of Recovery
While sleep is essential, recovery isn’t all about sleep. Let’s discuss why switching activities and engaging different areas of the brain can aide recovery.
How Different Activities Aid Recovery
Music:
Playing music activates the analytical side of the brain. This requires coordination, rhythm, and problem-solving.
Listening to music engages a different brain region. It helps with relaxation, mood regulation, and emotional recovery.
Creative Activities:
Drawing, painting, or visiting a museum allows the logical brain to rest while tapping into visual and emotional processing.
Physical Movement:
Walking in nature is a form of active recovery, refreshing the mind and body.
Lifting weights or practicing yoga promotes circulation, stress relief, and nervous system regulation.
Hands-On Work:
Working on a car (or any hobby requiring focus) shifts mental energy into problem-solving. This physical engagement gives the brain a break from other stressors.
The key idea: Recovery is about switching, not stopping. Rotate between different activities to rest your brain while other parts remain engaged.
Sleep Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
The standard recommendation for sleep is 7-9 hours, but some people function well on alternative sleep schedules.
Benjamin Franklin reportedly slept 5 hours or less every night. He supplemented during the day with short naps. This sleep method is called biphasic or polyphasic sleep. Some people thrive with split sleep schedules, while others require a full 8 hours. The key is understanding personal needs and recovery rhythms.
The Big Takeaway
Recovery isn’t about sleep—it’s about giving different parts of the brain and body time to recharge. Switch tasks to reduce the need for extended sleep while still optimizing recovery. The best recovery plan is personalized. Some people need more sleep. Others enjoy diverse recovery strategies like movement, creativity, and mental shifts.
Why Simply Stopping and Sleeping Can Be Worse Than Staying Awake
What happens when sleep itself becomes a source of stress? Many people assume that simply lying down and closing their eyes will lead to recovery, but that’s not always the case. In fact, forcing sleep at the wrong time can do more harm than good.
When the body isn’t ready to sleep it can actually lead to higher stress levels and disrupted sleep cycles.
Personal Insight: When Sleep Became a Source of Stress
When I first started monitoring my sleep, I noticed something surprising:
- I frequently woke up during the night.
- I spent at least an hour in high stress.
- My highest stress periods actually occurred while sleeping, not while awake!
This realization led me to rethink my approach. Instead of lying down and hoping for sleep, I developed a pre-sleep routine that gently introduced my body to rest.
How I Created a Better Transition into Sleep
I found that winding down before bed made all the difference.
Here’s what worked for me:
- A Consistent Sleep Schedule → My body began recognizing sleep cues.
- Journaling Before Bed → Writing about my day, goals, and thoughts helped clear my mind.
- Reading Spiritual Works → Engaging with uplifting content set a positive tone for sleep.
- Yoga and Breathwork → Gentle movement and focused breathing activated my parasympathetic nervous system. This sent signals to my body that it was time to relax.
The Result:
By intentionally transitioning into sleep, I was able to:
Reduce stress during sleep.
Sleep more deeply and consistently.
Wake up feeling refreshed, rather than groggy.
Sleep isn’t about duration—it’s about quality. If the body is stressed, simply lying down doesn’t guarantee recovery. When you want to lie down and hope for sleep, take a few minutes and jot down a pre-sleep routine. Try the routine that you create for a few nights. Introduce the body to rest. This will ensure a restful night and maximize recovery.
How Cognitive Shifting Aids Recovery
Rather than think of recovery as “rest,” we can think of it as engaging the brain differently to refresh our cognitive resources.
Here’s how:
Deep Work → Creative Play
After long periods of analytical work (e.g., data analysis, writing reports, problem-solving), switching to creative or free-flowing activities (e.g., doodling, music, storytelling) helps the brain relax and process information in a new way.
Example: If you’ve been deep in spreadsheets, switch to journaling, painting, or listen to music can help the brain reset.
Focused Tasks → Mind-Wandering
The brain solves problems when it’s not actively thinking about them—this is called the default mode network (DMN). Activities like taking a walk, showering, or staring out the window can lead to sudden insights (the “aha” moment!).
Example: If you’re stuck on a problem, stop forcing an answer and allow your mind to wander. Add a timer or take a timed break and come back to the problem.
Verbal Thinking → Spatial or Physical Activity
If your work involves a lot of reading, writing, or speaking, switch to a spatial or kinesthetic task (e.g., puzzles, stretching, dance, yoga). This can help balance cognitive strain.
Example: After a day of Zoom calls, doing something physical like organizing your space or stretching can help clear the mental clutter.
Logical Tasks → Emotional & Social Engagement
If you’ve been making high-stakes decisions, engaging in social interactions can be a form of recovery. Talk to a friend, play with a pet, or even watch a lighthearted show. This can regulate emotions and relieve mental strain.
Example: After working on intense problem-solving, chatting with a friend or laughing at a comedy show can reset your stress levels.
Task-Based Work → Meditation & Stillness
The brain constantly processes information. It does not stop working and solving problems. Sometimes true recovery comes from doing nothing at all. Meditation, deep breathing, or sitting in silence allows the nervous system to downregulate.
Example: After a fast-paced workday, 10-20 minutes of breathwork can bring clarity and calm. For some breathwork may be an improvement beyond meditation. It brings the thoughts out of the mind and into the body where they can be processed and released through activity and action.
Final Thought: Recovery is About Alternating, Not Stopping
View recovery as a strategic shift from one activity to another. Engage the brain in different ways to allow restoration. This can keep you sharp while preventing burnout.
Recovery is the ability to consistently perform and thrive while maintaining a sense of well-being in daily life.
Recovery is more than sleep.
It is a dynamic process. During recovery we reset, replenish, and reengage different aspects of ourselves. This affects us mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Big Picture Takeaway:
Recovery is about balance and variation, not rest. It’s about giving the brain and body what they need at the right time. This can be deep sleep, movement, cognitive shifting, or emotional decompression.
Open the door to a more holistic recovery:
- Sleep → Essential, but not the only factor.
- Cognitive Shifting → Alternating mental tasks to prevent burnout.
- Active Recovery → Movement, light exercise, and circulation matter.
- Emotional Recovery → Stress management and social engagement help restore mental clarity.
- Nutritional Recovery → Fueling the body and brain with what they need.
Recovery helps you be resilient and show up for your work, yourself and those you care about. Recovery isn’t a setback; it’s a necessary phase for long-term success.
Why This Matters:
- It is proactive, not reactive. You’re not recovering from burnout; you’re optimizing yourself for stability, resilience and growth.
- It’s a sign of trust in yourself. You’re giving yourself permission to rest, knowing that it actually fuels success.
- It reinforces your boundaries. Prioritizing recovery means you’re truly living the boundaries you set—not just talking about them.
And speaking of showing up—next week, we’ll dive into how to build success without losing yourself. Because true success isn’t about constant grind; it’s about sustainable progress.
People’s perceptions of you are often shaped by their own beliefs, biases, and experiences—things that have little to do with you. No matter how much you try to accommodate others, you can’t control how they feel about you. What you can control is how you show up for yourself.
We’ll dive deep into this topic in the next article.
This is Barbara, I am yours in health. Remember, everyday can be a healthy day. I will show you how.
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