Do you rest your mind? Physical rest is important, but so is mental rest. Did you know the
average person has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day and many are repetitive. Often,
these repetitive thoughts will occur when we try to fall asleep at night which can impact a good
night’s rest. But there are things we can do to help rest our minds.
Although scripture does not give us explicit techniques on how to rest our minds, we can
conclude from Jesus’s example of how He rested His mind. He often spent time praying alone
(see Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16). Praying, especially before bedtime, can give you
peace and calmness as you finish your day. Prayer often helps to rest your mind, reset your
thoughts, and offers you clarity about struggles you might be having.
If you need help resting your mind, try Cognitive Shuffling. This technique is designed to rest
your mind by focusing on random words. The goal is to distract your mind from problem-solving
or worrisome thoughts. Choose a word, for example, Pluto. Think of as many words as you can
beginning with “P”: plane, poem, etc. Do this with each letter in your word while visualizing
each object. This technique will put your mind in a relaxed state, allowing you to drift off to
sleep.
A restful mind is important so we can be the best version of ourselves that God wants us to be!