The Brain at Rest by Dr. Joseph Jebelli - A Rebellious Book for Burnt Out Times - a review from our Carlisle book club

One of our book club members, Jane Steed. reviewed The Brain at Rest by Dr. Joseph Jebelli - a book that feels particularly rebellious in a culture obsessed with productivity.

Member Review

"In a world of work that values productivity over all else and demands that we make ourselves constantly available and digitally connected, this book comes at just the right time.

Feeling that we have to be constantly 'on the go' in life today, in both work and leisure, we're also increasingly aware of the high number of people experiencing burn out and mental health issues.

In his book, Jebelli begins by telling us 'how overwork is literally killing us', and then offers an antidote, urging us to stop, pause and find more rest and play in our lives. Underpinned with some pretty serious research, each chapter presents a strategy for stepping away from the constant buzz of "doing", and improving our mental and physical wellbeing.

In addition to getting out in nature, Jebelli urges us to make space in our days for mindfulness, napping and play.

It's all doable and the research findings are compelling - the physical benefits of being in a forest for example - a measurable increase in cancer fighting cells - made me reconsider my views on 'tree-hugging'! There are some fascinating facts (for example patients recover more quickly even if they can simply see trees from their hospital window).

If that's not enough to be convincing, studies in the area of neuroscience and sleep have discovered that at times when we would normally consider the brain to be at rest (when we are daydreaming, or simply letting our minds wander) parts of the brain are actually more active than when we are focused on external tasks. In these moments, different networks in our brains fire into life, making us more creative, inspired and innovative.

Worryingly, we quote political leaders, such as Margaret Thatcher, who reportedly survived on very few hours of sleep, as though it is a badge of honour not to rest.

At a time when we all feel under pressure to do more, earn more and produce more, this book feels rebellious. But if we remind ourselves that this time of rest and play is when we are at our most creative, unique and human then reading this book is time well spent." Jane Steed

Why This Book Matters

In a culture that glorifies busyness, reading The Brain at Rest is an act of rebellion. Our member Jane's review captures exactly why: we've been sold the lie that rest is laziness, when actually it's when we're most human.

This book gave our group scientific permission to do less. To nap. To daydream. To walk in the woods without guilt. And the evidence is compelling - rest isn't optional, it's essential.

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