The daily grind of modern life can be demanding: working full-time, attending appointments, doing errands, cramming in grocery shopping, cooking a healthy supper, finding time for the gym, and so on. We live in a culture that prioritises busyness, which negatively affects our happiness and health conditions. An increasing epidemic of anxiety and despair is being brought on by ongoing stress.
Women often forget that they are human beings too and need to rest. When they are constantly rushing from one task to another, the body stays in a state of chronic stress. This pattern keeps cortisol levels elevated, disrupting the entire hormonal cascade. Making unplanned downtime a priority is an essential type of fundamental nourishment that will enable one to unwind, recognise the positive aspects of their life, and resume everyday responsibilities with a fresh sense of vitality and excitement.
Think about this: When was the last time you spent an entire afternoon lazing around doing nothing?
The concepts of rest and relaxation are the most underused, free, safe and effective therapies. They directly support hormonal balance as well as mental health. Dr Neetu Tiwari, Psychiatrist, NIIMS Medical College and Hospital explains how women have forgotten to use rest as therapy and shares why they must!
We praise women for the load that they can shoulder - their careers, homes, children and parents. We clap for the multitasker. The tireless one. The ‘she can handle anything’ woman. However, the invisible emotional labour never makes it to any ‘to-do’ list, yet quietly defines everyday activities. But behind that applause hides a dangerous truth - our bodies are not designed for constant motion. When we ignore rest, we keep our stress hormone, cortisol, running on a loop. Prolonged, high levels of cortisol affect more than just fatigue. It chips away at sleep, mood, menstrual cycles, immunity and even the long-term ability to reproduce.
This is where women's biology leads to a different set of needs compared to men. The hormonal rhythm is steady for men throughout the day whereas women follow a complex monthly hormonal rhythm. There are cyclical breakdowns of every phase, such as menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal. Each phase requires its own balance of energy and recovery. When stress drowns out that rhythm, the whole system falters.
Here’s the thing: nature already knows this. Lions, icons of strength, spend nearly twenty hours a day at rest. Migratory birds stop for days to rebuild their strength before flying further. Even the earth itself pauses and seasons of bloom always follow seasons of stillness.
So, why do we think we’re the only species exempt from rest?
Dr Tiwari calls it ‘therapeutic boredom’ moments which are those spent without responsibility, noise, or distraction. In those pauses or breaks, the body remembers it is safe, cortisol drops, hormones reset and energy returns. Rest is not laziness. It is biology’s way of keeping you alive, balanced, and whole. You do not have to earn it. You simply have to allow it. Because sometimes, the most radical thing a woman can do is stop and rest.