I’m not sure who needs to hear this today, but it’s okay to rest. In fact, rest is required to age healthily.

Take it from 10-month-old Koda. He set a new personal best on our 8.65 mile hike–that’s a lot for a little pup–and he needed a little rest along the way 😂. (Fortunately, Rob has strong biceps.)

Your mind and body need downtime to heal. I know that might sound a little vague, so let me back it up with some science:

When you rest, or engage in meditative activities like doing breathing exercises, certain types of yoga or meditating, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system.

Parasympathetic what?

Your parasympathetic nervous system is what tells your body it’s okay to “rest and digest.” When it’s activated, your heart rate and respiration slow, your blood pressure lowers, metabolism is turned on and digestion is promoted.

It is only in this state that your body can heal and rejuvenate, and several studies suggest an activated parasympathetic nervous system can help you lose weight.

Here’s a mindset shift for you to consider: What if, instead of resting AFTER you're already exhausted, you build rest and relaxation into your daily routine?

That’s what Koda did on this hike. At about the six mile mark, he let daddy carry him for a bit, then he finished strong!