Why a lazy day is good for you according to this sociologist

“Busy, busy, busy” is a common answer to the question of how someone is performing. Precisely for this reason, it's a good idea to sometimes plan a day with nothing, if you ask psychologists. So does Susan Koegsten, stress sociologist and founder School of stressEmphasizes the importance of such a lazy day.

Why is a lazy day so important?

According to Koegsten, the compression system is our largest energy resource. It is no coincidence that people often react energetically when they are under severe stress, for example when Fight or fleeThe mode is activated when or when a deadline must be met. Koegsten: “All of our organs use energy. Your heart, your brain, your kidneys: they all require a specific dose of energy. When we are in a stressful situation, the stress system kicks in and takes a little energy from some ‘sections.’”

This is perfectly fine, but then the body must return to normal so that the processes in the body are provided with a steady supply of energy again. To achieve this, recovery is crucial, according to the stress sociologist. “The body should return to its normal state after a stressful situation, but we as humans are pretty bad at that these days,” says Koegsten. Partly due to the overwhelming amount of stimuli from our phone, busy family lives, important careers, and pressure to perform, many people are unable to recover adequately. According to Koegsten, we can take inspiration from top athletes for this: “They have known for a long time that it is not the athlete who trains hard who reaches the podium, but also the one who has a greater ability to recover.”

Listen to your body

That's why such a slow day is so good for you. When you think of the word “lazy” you might think of lying in bed all day, but what it actually means is not having to do much. According to Koegsten, it's mainly about listening to your body. The following applies to recovery: A lower heart rate and avoiding many triggers is important to allow your body to recover.

Kuijsten: “Scrolling Instagram on the couch may seem like a lazy activity, but all that stimulation is actually hard work for your brain.” Appropriate activities? Go into nature, drink tea with friends, cook, walk around the block… although it's also important to listen to your body. If cooking stresses you out instead of calming you, it's not a restorative activity for you. “So listen to your body, and keep your heart rate low for optimal recovery,” says Koegsten.

Have you been suffering from psychological complaints for some time? According to Dr. Rutger, these complaints deserve a visit to the doctor: