Have you ever experienced that moment when, upon waking up, the sound of the alarm feels distant and opening your eyes becomes a struggle between your eyelashes? Despite the exhaustion, you gather all your strength to get up, even though the sheets suddenly feel so heavy you’d rather stay in bed a little longer. But you know that a shower can restore what sleep didn’t, and so you begin your day following your usual routine. You move forward little by little, doing what’s planned, eating because you feel hungry, responding automatically in your various roles. Suddenly, you look at the clock and realize the day is running out of hours, and you’re completely drained. It feels like you’re carrying the whole day’s weight, and even when you finally decide to rest, your sleep is foggy and unrefreshing... and the next day, it all begins again.
I invite you to reread that scene and imagine what it feels like to accumulate fatigue, or how physical and emotional wear shows up when sleep isn’t truly restorative. Imagine the weight on your shoulders as time moves at its own pace, and you suspect that what your body truly needs is to rest.
Gabriel Gutiérrez Ospina, a researcher at UNAM, explains that if a person doesn’t learn to release tension after a demanding workday, it can lead to burnout, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disorders. This diminishes our interest and attention span in the various tasks and commitments we have.
A few months ago, I shared with Mother Alice, a religious sister full of Asunción charisma, how tired I felt due to the excessive attention I gave to my responsibilities at work. With a compassionate gaze—fruit of her human and spiritual experience—she said something that has stayed in my heart: “We must learn to rest along the way.” She asked me where I would like to be, and without thinking, I answered: “Enjoying the sea at the beach.” She said, “Then seek the beach.”
To “seek my beach,” I chose a space where I could be alone for five minutes. I sat on a chair, my feet firmly on the ground, back straight, hands resting on my legs. This posture allowed me to breathe deeply and calmly—not just filling my lungs with air but also letting the oxygen reach my diaphragm. I breathed slowly, let my imagination take flight, and visualized myself at the beach I longed to return to. I was there, facing the sea, feeling the sun’s warmth and light. I felt the moisture and breeze of the waves crashing with power, forming white foam; the water was warm, refreshing, comforting. I could feel the sand dancing between my toes. I was there, at the beach, taking in the view, absorbing the sun and the sea. I was there—contemplating, breathing, relaxing. After giving myself a few moments of visualization, I returned calmer, more at peace.
Trick your mind a little: visualize your beach, your favorite place. Gift yourself a few minutes of active rest. Let your body release the neurotransmitters it needs to “rest along the way.” If at the beginning of this text you could feel the burden of not resting, imagine how easy it is to trigger the release of the happiness hormones. To do this, turn inward through reading, prayer, or meditation; nourish your body with healthy food, exercise, move, set goals and celebrate your progress. Connect with others—hug, laugh, build bonds. Make contact with the earth and feel part of the entire universe. Integrating these practices into your daily life improves your mood, relieves bodily tension, strengthens your immune system, and consciously fosters your well-being by learning to rest along the way, allowing you to meet life’s demands fully, in harmony with yourself and your surroundings.
Pope Leo XIV reminds us that, as we walk through life, we must trust in the Lord’s mercy, for the Holy Spirit guides and teaches us everything. Let us allow God to dwell in us, remain in His love, become His temple, live in coherence with our thoughts and decisions, and make rest our mission—a mission that enables us to serve with joy, following the example of Jesus.
Marlé Uribe Ortiz Educational Psychologist – Instituto Asunción, Querétaro, Mexico
References
(n.d.). https://unamglobal.unam.mx/global_revista/cuanto-descanso-necesitamos-tras-jornadas-intensas/
Endorfinas, serotonina, dopamina y oxitocina: 4 protagonistas en nuestro bienestar. (n.d.). OSDE. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from
https://www.osde.com.ar/salud-y-bienestar/endorfinas-serotonina-dopamina-oxitocina-dan-bienestar-22809.html
León XIV: Caminemos en la alegría de la fe, para ser templo santo del Señor. (2025, May 25). Vatican News. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from
https://www.vaticannews.va/es/papa/news/2025-05/papa-leone-xiv-regina-coeli-25-mayo.html
With a note from Sister Alicia Ortiz Zamora – Asunción Community, Querétaro
“The Lord is our rest.” – M. Alice