Women are tired, so we've prioritized sleep and rest.
In 2008, the World Sleep Society initiated the annual global recognition and celebration of World Sleep Day. The purpose and reasoning were, and still are, to bring awareness to the importance of sleep and the varying factors that influence our rest.
The foundation for our unwavering focus on resting is rooted in the wisdom provided by a true leader and inspirational advocate on reclaiming rest, Trisha Hersey. She is the author of “Rest is Resistance” where one of the things she writes about is the four tenets of the Nap Ministry.
The first tenet - “rest is a form of resistance because it pushes back and disrupts white supremacy and capitalism.” It brings back a sense of reclaiming what is right for our bodies based on our true knowledge - about how we feel inside, not what others - specifically men - deem necessary.
A play on words - “West-versus-the-Rest” - or “hustle culture,” what does rest mean for success within a society? In the Western world, we have been taught, much through white supremacy, that if you are not not burning yourself at both ends of the spectrum - you won’t make it to the top. This opposes other cultural norms where rest is seen as an important pillar in making a society function. When considering where rest “lives” in our lives - how acceptable is it?
Going back to the tenets, the second reads, “our bodies are a site of liberation.” Trisha Hersey equates this to “the idea that wherever our bodies are, we can find rest.” We are capable of finding the rest that we desire and deserve because it lives within us.
The third and fourth tenets “naps provide a portal to imagine, invent and heal” and “our dream space has been stolen, and we want it back. We will reclaim it via rest.” These two are hey freya favorites. Something that has been taken away from women is our ability to dream and to create. We’ve been put into a box created by, and for men, where our thoughts and imaginations are slated as unrealistic, or worse, “hysterical”. To fit the norm we must play a specific role - which oftentimes does not leave room for our complexity and unique ideas. If we can remember to rest, we can begin to heal. It is not something that should be seen as weak, but rather an opportunity to reclaim ourselves and to show others how thriving is possible, if not more so, when we take time for ourselves and rest, however we see fit.
Unsurprisingly, we are relentlessly protecting and advocating that women get the rest they deserve. Your feelings of burnout and exhaustion are valid. While we have created a superb supplement specifically to help regulate any imbalances preventing you from being your best self (say hello to hey freya's REST formula) we also focus on those societal touch points that impact your overall health through our Lifestyle Assessment. Our assessment takes your symptoms and daily routines into account when suggesting possible products for you.
Is there a hormonal imbalance causing poor-quality sleep? Or are there some daily lifestyle changes a health expert can coach you through? Why not both?
Let us help your body heal and feel liberated.
Click here for an 8 min NPR piece with Trisha Hersey.
