Rest Pt I: Introduction

Why Everyone Feels Exhausted — And Why Rest Is the Medicine We’re Missing

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on a question I encounter daily in clinical practice: Are people genuinely getting sicker, or are we just noticing it more because functional medicine attracts those who feel unwell?

Regardless of the answer, one thing is clear: more people are exhausted than ever before.

A Tired Society: More Than Just Fatigue

People are searching for answers to why they feel chronically unwell — and exhaustion is the most common theme. As Dr. Mark Houston once said, while there may be an infinite number of stressors, the body's responses are limited to three:

1. Inflammation

2. Oxidative stress

3. Immune dysfunction

In functional and alternative medicine circles, we often see chronic diagnoses like Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and various autoimmune conditions. But at the most basic level, chronic stress underpins much of this.

And stress isn’t just psychological — it comes in many forms:

• Spiritual stress (lack of meaning or purpose)

• Nutritional stress (poor diet, deficiencies)

• Environmental stress (toxins, infections, pollutants)

• Physical stress (overtraining, injury)

• Relational stress (conflict, isolation)

• Electromagnetic stress (constant tech exposure)

Our society tends to seek one cause and one solution — but the reality is more like Swiss cheese: layers of vulnerabilities that add up until "the straw breaks the camel's back."

The American Rat Race and the Rise of Exhaustion

Modern life isn’t structured to help us thrive. Perpetual bills, financial insecurity, unsatisfying work, and social disconnection keep people stuck on a hamster wheel they can’t get off.

The COVID-19 pandemic only intensified this. It created widespread isolation and forced people to question whether they liked the direction their lives were headed. While reflection isn’t inherently bad, for many, it added a new layer of psychological stress.

Today, we’re facing a storm of compounding stressors:

• Rising obesity rates

• Inflation and economic instability

• Social media comparison culture

• Ongoing social disconnection

• Widespread distrust in institutions that once grounded communities

When you combine these, people are not just tired — they are burned out, hopeless, and sick.

The Trap of "Pushing Through"

One of the most common patterns I see is that people don’t know how to rest.

Most don’t come in asking how to heal — they ask how to keep going. They want stimulants and anabolics to help them function in a broken system. They want a solution that lets them continue living an unsustainable life without stopping.

But the truth is: we can’t keep pushing forever.

When people feel trapped, they lose hope. And when hope is gone, effort stops. Exhausted and hopeless people become irritable, which damages relationships and leads to breakdowns in communication. Eventually, those who still have energy are forced to pick up the slack, increasing their own risk of burnout. But no one can carry the weight of a broken society alone — not even the strongest among us.

We Need a Cultural Shift: Rest as a Community Value

Healing will require a collective effort, and a reconnection of community. If you are in a place where you still have light to share, please share it — because many people are in darkness right now.

Redefining Rest: More Than Just Sleep

When people think of rest, they often think only of sleep. But true rest is multidimensional. Here are powerful ways to practice rest:

• Prayer and meditation

• Journaling and reflective writing

• Laughing and playing

• Singing and dancing

• Creative expression (art, music, writing)

• Spending time with loved ones

• Practicing gratitude

• Being in nature and experiencing awe

Rest means stepping away from the need to always "do" and instead focusing on simply "being."

Why People Can’t Shut Down

Many people tell me they can’t turn their minds off when they go to bed. And it’s no surprise — we become what we practice.

If we practice constant busyness, our brains get wired to always be "on." To numb this, people turn to alcohol, sleep aids, and depressants — but these are band-aids, not solutions.

A Call to Honor Rest as Sacred

The idea of rest as sacred is deeply embedded in many traditions. Even the Fourth Commandment tells us to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." The Sabbath is a dedicated time of rest and restoration — something we've largely forgotten.

Other healing traditions also emphasize seasonal cycles of activity and rest, recognizing that winter is a natural time to slow down. As we move through this season, many are feeling the consequences of neglecting rest — their bodies are forcing them to stop.

So my invitation to you is simple: stop fighting the need to rest.

What’s Next?

This is the first in a series of articles where I’ll share tools and strategies to help you build a regular rest practice. Because when you can rest, you can recover — and when you recover, you can heal.