For centuries, religious leaders have preached the benefits of solitude for the soul

The conclusion of summer vacations means that some people probably didn't get away at all.

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Unlike the European Union, where at least 20 days of paid vacation are mandated by law, federal law in the United States does not mandate that businesses in the United States provide their employees with any paid time off. Only about a quarter of American workers receive them, and even then, few really utilize them. According to a 2019 Priceline study, over half of respondents admit to never using all of their vacation days, and over one-fifth said they feel bad about taking time from work. It is especially concerning that those in lower income categories in the United States are less likely to take a vacation this summer, given the high cost of both food and gasoline.

This culture of working non-stop has detrimental effects on people's physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. No matter how much money a person makes, going on regular vacations with their loved ones has been shown to improve their overall feeling of happiness, according to a poll that was conducted by Gallup in 2014. There is a favorable correlation between the pursuit of activities that contribute to an enhanced sense of well-being and improvements in both health and productivity. However, recent studies aren't the only thing that support the idea that it's important to disconnect every once in a while. Kristen Lucken, a scholar who studies the sociology of religion, is aware that religious practices have long emphasized rest and contemplation. These activities not only improve a person's mental and physical health, but they can also boost a sense of overall well-being on a spiritual level. And getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life does not have to put a strain on one's financial resources.

Faith, contemplation and rest

The Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all teach their adherents that taking one day off work each week is both a holy right and a sacred responsibility. The traditional Jewish observance of Shabbat is a daylong holiday that begins at sundown on the preceding Friday and lasts until sundown on the following Friday. The participants get together to pray, eat, study, and attend church services.

In a similar vein, devout Muslims observe their holy day on the day we call Friday. During this time, Muslims take a break from their workday to attend a midday jumah, which is a prayer service held at a local mosque. During this service, imams lead congregations in prayer and deliver sermons on a variety of intellectual, spiritual, and practical topics. In spite of the fact that church attendance is on the decline, many Christians continue to observe the holy Sabbath on Sundays by going to church, participating in communal worship, playing music, and sharing in the Eucharist. This is the ritual in which Christians consecrate and consume bread and wine as a symbol of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Christian Sabbath is a day set aside for people to stop what they are doing, pray, worship, and spend time with their families. Religions like Islam, Christianity, and Judaism also have daily and yearly cycles that include times for prayer and reflection. One of the five pillars of faith in Islam is that people should stop throughout the day to pray.

By meditating, religious traditions try to calm the senses and reach a state of rest that they believe leads to a higher level of consciousness. Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains all teach about dhyana, which means "contemplation" in English. Yoga, meditation, and other forms of self-reflection can help people reach a state of meditative consciousness and self-awareness that can improve their mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Quieting the mind

Religions stress the need for rest and quiet reflection so that our busy minds can focus on prayer and other practices that help us think. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul talks about how prayer and meditation help us grow the "fruit of the spirit," which makes us more patient and less self-centered. Buddhists think that meditating can help people see that their feelings, perceptions, worldviews, and even the self are all temporary things that can cause suffering. It can also help people think about how they are linked to the rest of the world. Rest and thought help religious people get in touch with the deeper sources of meaning they want to grow through studying the Bible, meditating, and praying. In his 1948 autobiography "The Seven Storey Mountain," American Trappist monk Thomas Merton says that contemplation is a time to rest, stop doing things, and "withdraw into the mysterious interior solitude where the soul is absorbed in the vast and fruitful silence of God."

Health benefits of rest and meditation

Unexpectedly, medical research has become religion's collaborator in validating the positive effects of these rituals. Time spent relaxing has been linked to increased intelligence and originality in studies. Benefits such as increased memory retention, productivity, and physical well-being can be gained from getting enough sleep, spending time in nature, and engaging in regular physical activity. Recent developments in neuroimaging have allowed scientists to monitor brain activity during meditative practices like yoga, mindfulness, and prayer. There is some evidence to suggest that adopting these habits could have positive effects on health and well-being. Multiple clinical studies have shown that regular meditation can produce real, tangible changes in how your brain works and how you experience the world. Such techniques, for instance, have been linked to rewiring the brain's neural pathways and establishing new neurological networks that promote health and well being. Health advantages have been shown in studies of the routines of Japanese and Chinese Buddhist monks. Active meditations like yoga, qi gong, and tai chi have also been shown to improve mental health by balancing emotions and decreasing stress and despair.

Even if you are unable to take a vacation this summer due to job obligations, you may still enhance your physical, mental, and spiritual health by carving out time to relax, exercise, get adequate sleep, meditate, and/or pray. Think of these activities as short "staycations" that enable us to clear our minds of stress and concern while simultaneously boosting our overall health and well-being.

Source: The Conversation