The Benefits of Sabbath for our Bodies
Entering into Sabbath rest has many benefits, and today, we’re specifically looking at how it can benefit our bodies.
“The Sabbath day was made to help people; they (people) were not made to be ruled by the Sabbath day”
Alisa and I have been intentionally practicing Sabbath for several years now. It is a habit that took time to create, has looked different over the months and years, and, at its best, is a time of soul rest and time of worship. At some point in our lives, we decided to accept this good gift from God—a gift for our benefit and flourishing. And as is so often true in God’s economy, as he blesses us, we are in a better posture to bless others. Sabbath keeping benefits me as well as the world around me.
Sabbath is a time of rest and worship. Ideally, it is a 24-hour period where we stop or cease from the usual things we do in our work week. This can include working (and thinking about) our professions, cleaning, errands, list making, meal preparing, email, and social media. It is a time to intentionally focus our hearts and minds on our creator and lover of our souls. It is a time of refreshing and renewal. As Ray Ortland notes, “What sets us apart is this. We rest, in order to work; we do not work, in order to rest.” Humanity is divinely designed to work out of rest instead of the other way around.
There are so many benefits of taking Sabbath that I could tell you about, but for today, I will focus on some of the ways that Sabbath is good for your body.
Studies show that those who regularly keep Sabbath benefit from the following:
A dramatic decrease in the rate of coronary artery disease.
Fewer feelings of stress in their body
Improved immune health
Healing and recovering faster from injuries and illness
A longer life expectancy of up to 10 years.
In addition to these physical bodily benefits, there are mental health and spiritual health benefits.
If you do not keep Sabbath, I hope these facts encourage you to accept this gift created for you and your flourishing. I have included some resources below if you would like to learn more about the practice of keeping Sabbath.
Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest by Ruth Haley Barton
The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan
Enjoy the journey!
Valerie
Check out our e-books and experience the benefits of Sabbath!
We’ve created two guides to help you rest in God’s presence and experience the five benefits shared above.
Download our Half-Day Spiritual Retreat Guide as a perfect way to spend time with God during your Sabbath rest. You’ll walk through various spiritual practices like Lectio Divina, silence and solitude, and more. This guide aims to anchor you in God’s love—what better way to spend a day of rest?!
Or grab our Habit Workbook, filled with practices and rhythms that support your body’s well-being (including a section on Sabbath!)
Resources for Nourishing Your Body
We believe being intentional about caring for our bodies is essential to our own wellness and the wellness of those around us. Find our favorite resources to live well in our beautifully ordinary bodies.
We believe our bodies are instruments for creating good and beautiful things in this world. If we’re not taking care of our bodies, how can we care for others and effect change in this world?
Let’s chat about some resources to help nourish the body, so that it can in turn sow seeds of goodness into this world.
Meal plans- I thrive on planning food each week. I’m a shop once a week kind of gal and I hate to have to run into the store multiple times per week. I could be doing other nourishing things during that time, right?! To prevent multiple store trips (and saving gas and paper bags), I set aside time to plan the next week’s meals every Sunday night. I love finding pre-made meal plans from my favorite food bloggers (Fed + Fit & Half Baked Harvest email one in their newsletter every week!) and the one linked above is from the Real Food Dietitians. I like to piece together my own meal plans most weeks, but it’s always nice to have someone else do it for you from time to time (especially when shopping lists are included!)
Rachael’s Good Eats - Rachael is a registered dietician with a blog & social media following (find her on Instagram @rachaelsgoodeats!). We love trying all of her recipes and recently, her Good Sweat workout guide! She makes healthy eating & working out approachable and fun!
Nourish Move Love - another workout program I love to follow is from Nourish Move Love! All of the workouts are free on their blog and on Youtube. Subscribe to their monthly newsletter to receive weekly workout plans in your inbox every Sunday!
Beauty Counter Makeup - I recently switched all of my skincare over to Beauty Counter and I have been loving it! I’m trying out their Vitamin C Serum, and Overnight Peel, plus I’m obsessed with their liquid foundation, concealer, and mascara! I opt for a pretty basic makeup routine and Beauty Counter supports that with clean & safe ingredients.
Essential oils - I highly recommend trying out essential oils to support a variety of emotional and physical conditions like sleep support, soothing aching muscles, and promoting tranquility. My favorites right now are OnGuard, Serenity, Adaptiv, Lavender, Peppermint, and InTune from DoTERRA.
Vitamins - I’ve loved using Athletic Greens vitamins to supplement my healthy eating habits. I personally love the refreshing taste and ease of use. If you have an active lifestyle and are on the hunt for new, easy, and delicious vitamins, check out Athletic Greens!
Being intentional in treating our bodies well not only helps us feel good, but it allows us to pour out into others and into the world. I hope these resources encourage you to take time to nourish your body, to live well, and to live whole.