The Pause Between

Why Rest Matters: The Starting Point We Forgot

• Ate Gia • Episode 1

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What if rest isn't the opposite of productivity... but its foundation?

Welcome to the very first episode of The Pause Between, a podcast that explores the power of rest, recovery, and recharging in a world that glorifies busyness. I’m your host, Ate Gia, and I’m so grateful you’re here.

In this episode, we ask the question:
 Why do we need to rest—not later, not next week—but every single day?

We’ll explore:
 ✨ Why rest is not a reward
 🧠 How chronic lack of rest impacts our body, brain, and emotions
 🌿 How rest boosts long-term health, purpose, and creativity
 🧡 Gentle mindset shifts to help you rest without guilt

This episode is your reminder:
 Rest is not something you earn.
 It’s something you deserve.

📥 Download the FREE PDF Toolkit
A companion journal to help you explore your personal relationship with rest.
bit.ly/40Z6SmJ

💌 Let’s stay connected
  📸 Follow me on Instagram: @thepausebetweenpodcast
🎵 Watch & rest with me on TikTok: @thepausebetweenpodcast
📩 Got reflections or stories to share? Email me at: official.thepausebetween@gmail.com
💬 Tag me — I’d love to hear how you’re finding your pause. 🌀

🌐 Use the hashtag #ThePauseBetweenPodcast to share your story. I’d love to hear: Why do you want to rest more intentionally?

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear this today.
 Follow or subscribe to the show so you won’t miss the next episode.

Until then, keep pausing, keep breathing, and remember:
 Every pause sharpens you. 🧡

 References and Studies

• Chronic Stress and Sleep – APA
 https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep

• Work Breaks and Mental Performance – Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
 https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ohp

• Meta-Analysis on Micro-Breaks – PMC
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8659017

• Workplace Active Rest Programs – PMC
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8325233

• ErgoScience on Work-Rest Balance
 https://www.ergoscience.com

• Sleep and Metabolism – Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
 https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/100/4/1664/2815141

• Sleep Duration and Longevity – NIH Study
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2864873

• Rest in the Workplace – Greater Good Science Center
 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_case_for_working_less

• Restorative Rest and Productivity – Atlassian Blog
 https://www.atlassian.com/blog/productivity/restorative-rest

Send us a message. So excited to hear from you!

Ate Gia:

Hi! What if I told you na ang (that rest) pahinga ay hindi kalaban(is not an enemy) ng(of) success but actually it's foundation? What if the answer isn't working harder but resting better? Welcome to the very first episode of The Pause Between. This podcast is where we explore the power of rest, recovery, and the recharging in our fast-paced world. I'm your host Ate Gia, and I'm so grateful that you're here with me today because We're diving into something that we often forget or take for granted, even though we know how important it is. Yes, you guessed that right. Pahinga or rest. Kung yung (if) pahinga or rest ay (becomes a) isang gamot(medicine), It could be a tablet or a capsule. Matagal na sana tayong gumaling (we could be all well). Because we will probably all take it in. Pero in real life, lagi natin siyang tinatabi. Pinipilit pa rin natin kahit pagod na tayo(We're pushing through even if we are tired). And sa panahon ngayon, naintindihan ko na sobrang glorified ng pagiging busy. Whether you're a professional, a student, a parent, or just... Actually, anyone who's trying to juggle responsibilities, there's always something to chase for. You know, something to do, right? Kapag nakakita ako ng ibang tao na ang daming ganap, minsan napapaisip din naman tayo. Am I doing enough? Or worse, tamad ba ako? And honestly, sometimes nakaka-overwhelmed din yun. At least for me, that's what I believe din. It makes me think na in order to be more, I have to do more and more. And don't get me wrong, being busy isn't evil. Pero kung yung to-do list mo ay mukha ng grocery list sa sobrang haba, maybe it is time to pause. because within those hustle and bustle there should still be room for rest it should still be part of the hustle not something outside of it i used to think then before that rest was something that i have to earn like after something that i'm doing, tsaka ako magpapahinga. But honestly, that's just one more thing. It's not over. And the truth is, I'm not like this. I know many of us, or you, also feel this way. But I'll just share what I learned. And this thinking changed my life. Rest is not a reward. It is a need. Hindi siya luho. Hindi lang siya para sa mga mayayaman or privileged. Rest is part of being human. Let me repeat that for those at the back. Rest is part of being human. It is literally part of your DNA. Of our DNA. Parte sya ng pagiging tao natin (It is part of us)And you dont have to earn your rest cause it is our birthright as a human being. Hindi lang katawan ang naapektuhan pag kulang sa pahinga—pati puso, isip, and our soul. And yes, it is heavily backed by science. Research shows that consistently neglecting rest can lead to burnout, which not only damages our physical health, but also affects our mental and emotional wellbeing. A study made by the American Psychological Association found that chronic stress, often due to the lack of rest, can increase the risk of heart diseases, depression, and anxiety. So as much as we would like to push ourselves and do more, the reality is the longer we go without proper recovery, the more we're setting ourselves up for serious consequences. It is impacting our overall well-being and quality of life. So today, we're going to talk about why do we need the rest? Not later, not next week, but every single day. Let's dive in. First, physical health and recovery. Siguro ito na yung agad na naiisip ng karamihan when it comes to rest. Hindi rin naman lingit sa kaalaman ng lahat na ang pahinga ay kailangan ng ating katawan. But you know what? Even though this is a very common knowledge for all of us, rest is still the first thing we sacrifice. Ito agad yung least prio, kumbaga. Sige ganito na lang, imagine mo. Yung katawan mo parang isang orasan. Yung gears niya umiikot, non-stop. It's serving its purpose, giving you the time, but... there's no maintenance. Eventually, titigil din yan. Ganun din tayo. Without any rest, we break down. Kagaya ng orasan, sisigaw ng hard stop yung katawan mo. Or most of the time, it will give you some symptoms or signs na kulang siya sa pahinga. Just like how we lose focus or We drain our energy, we lose the precision, and then eventually we burn out. Rest is the mechanism that keeps us functioning smoothly, ensuring we actually maintain the right pace in our lives. One of the most underrated types of rest? Tulog. Sleep. Yes! during sleep our bodies enter the most restorative phase it is when the body restores itself at a cellular level it boosts the immune system by increasing the production of the cytokines it is a protein that helped fight infections even the light movements like stretching or walking or forms of active rest can reduce tension, boost circulation, and support healing. So aside from the active rest, we also have the passive rest where ito na yung alam nating lahat. Journaling, meditation, anything that... regulates our thoughts and mind so either you do it passively or actively ang dami niyang benefits it boils down to listening what your body needs the second to the list of why we have the rest is for cognitive function and mental clarity kung kailangan ng katawan ng pahinga ganun din naman ang utak natin Alam mo yung feeling na kahit nakabukas yung laptop mo, parang walang laman yung utak mo. Parang naka-low battery mode kahit na full charge ka kagabi. That's your brain telling you na, uy, pahinga ka naman. Alam nyo, sa bilis ng buhay ngayon, we might think that pushing through that fatigue is a sign of productivity and i honestly struggle with this too but research shows it is the opposite continuous work without rest can actually hinders your mental performance i'll link the study here in the notes if you want to explore more but it just says that Taking breaks during work help maintain and even improve cognitive performance. Another study actually was published that it's showing that even just a short nap, even just 10 minutes can already help restore alertness and it dramatically improves the performance for the rest of the day. Kapag kulang sa pahinga, hirap tayo mag-concentrate. Hindi rin buo yung attention or yung focus sa ginagawa natin. Isn't it amazing na kahit 10 minutes lang siya, ganun siya ka-powerful? Pwede mo siyang i-insert the time mo if it is allowed. And you might actually discover the wonders of it. Another one is your memory. So during sleep, our brain... it kind of codes information into our brain and it helps for better recall so if we're not getting enough rest our memory retention isn't that great it is harder to get more information and to absorb it Lalo na kung kailangan natin siya sa trabaho or sa school or sa mga ginagawa natin. So, mas malinaw tayong mag-isip kapag well-rested. Mas kalmado and it also affects our decision-making because we can function better cognitively. Aside from that, yung mga ideas na nabubuo din, it will be there when you're well-rested. And I can also relate to that. Ako mismo yung mga best ideas ko, hindi siya lumalabas whenever I'm working or whenever my brain is doing something. Lumalabas siya kapag I have some clarity, kapag naglalakad ako, habang nakikinig ng music, or tahimik lang ako somewhere. Rest is about pausing enough to be able to hear yourself and the world. Next, digestive and metabolic function. We've talked about how the body and brain is optimal when we have rest, but it also is vital for some systems in surprising ways. Rest also supports our digestion and metabolism. Personally, kapag kulang ako sa tulog or kulang sa pahinga, sobrang out of sync nung katawan ko. And I find myself craving sweet and salty food. Tapos parang walang kabusugan. And I found out... that there's a research showing that the lack of rest affects insulin response and hunger hormones. It explains why kapag wala kang tulog or pahinga, kain ka ng kain. I will link it in the show notes if you want to read more to be able to understand it more. Even the light movements... it can help like a gentle walk stretching after meals it can help with the digestion it's still an act of rest even those that are traditionally the form of rest like deep breathing mindful stretching sensory rest it still can promote digestion by improving the circulation and reducing bloating so again rest isn't just about lying down it is also helping your body do what it is designed to do after all these benefits body and brain and your digestion. I know we have quite explored a lot, so it's a good time to pause, to breathe, and let this information sink in. Let's take a short moment to reset together. Let's pause for a bit, breathe in, and breathe out. This is your moment. This is your reset. This is your pause between. There. That was 20 to 30 seconds of pause. If you made it this far, I'm so proud of you because that's a real pause right there. Thank you so much for staying with me. Earlier, we've talked about how rest affects the body, digestion and the mind. Now let's talk about something more invisible, but as important, how rest restores our emotions. Even though our mind and body is okay, but if you're emotionally drained, it's still hard. You know, kapag emotionally grounded tayo, or kalma yung emotions natin, mas kaya nating i-handle yung stress, mas madali tayong makaka-bounce back, at malinaw yung emotions natin. Even though there are times that it could be overwhelming. Alam ko lahat tayo nakaranas ng irritable or stressed kapag kulang sa tulog or pahinga. iritable talaga tayo, yung mabilis kang matrigger. Ako, personally pag puyat, parang rice cooker na naiwan sa ‘keep warm’ anytime pwede akong sumabog! Buti na lang may partner akong sanay sa triggers ko. And to go back, Rest is an emotional hygiene. Without it, kahit maliit na bagay, parang sobra na. Kasi studies link chronic stress to heart disease and anxiety. So rest isn't indulgence. It is essential. Balance emotions boost productivity. Actually minsan feel natin kailangan mag-push para matapos lahat. Pero I learned to go faster, you must slow down. That's according to John Bruner. Ironically, parang baligtad no? So kaya nga natin pinupush para matapos lahat. But kapag pinilit nating magtrabaho kahit pagod na tayo or we are at our limit. mas maraming mali, mas maraming pulit-ulit, at mas matagal siyang matatapos. But if you actually let yourself rest just for 5 to 10 minutes, your ideas are sharper, you have your focus, and your output is faster and great. Taking breaks feels like slowing down, but it's the opposite it fuels your mind to work better and there are studies linked to it i'll go ahead and put that in the notes showing that short breaks improve your focus it reduce fatigue and boost productivity you know companies get it too recently some companies including ergo science They found out that promoting work-rest balance leads to 15% higher productivity because rested workers are sharper, they have better decision-making, and more focused. That's 15%. So taking a pause doesn't slow you down. It resets you para mas mabilis ka or bumilis ka. Para siyang bwelo. And you know, effective people aren't the busiest. They are the most intentional with their time. Rest isn't laziness. It's a strategy. So far, we've explored the immediate ways rest helps us daily. But what about the bigger picture? Rest isn't just about feeling good today, but it's a foundation for a healthier, longer life. Studies show that consistently getting enough rest lowers the risk of chronic illnesses and found that those who regularly sleep have much better cardiovascular health and metabolic health that we discussed earlier. So here's the truth. If your body's baseline need is met, it will lead to long-term wellness. I know life can be hectic, but remember that making some space for rest now means you're also investing for your future. Personally, I also realized this when I was looking into the source of my chronic migraines. I realized that rest is one of the key, not just for the relief today or when the attack is, but also preventing bigger health issues in the future. So whether your goal is to see your kids grow, you would like to retire, travel, or just pursue your passions without having a hard stop, then the rest needs to be a part of the plan. Beyond the physical and mental health benefits that we've discussed, Rest also creates the space for something deeper. What I meant is for self-reflection and personal growth. When we slow down, we open a window to listen, not just to the world around us, but to our own inner voice. As Thich Nhat Na beautifully said, when you pause, you allow yourself to truly listen. In those quiet moments, whether through sleep, journaling, or even a simple walk, your ideas arise. You have the space for you to check internally. For me, during rest is where this podcast was born. It is where we find clarity about who we are, what we want, and where we're headed. I know stillness and silence can sometimes be uncomfortable because you're left with your own thoughts. But just start small. Even 5 to 10 minutes is a good start because that's where you can entangle your thoughts and make it clearer. It will be a messy process, but trust me, by making rest a priority, you don't just recharge your bodies and minds, but we nurture our growth and purpose. Dahil minsan, pahinga lang talaga ang kailangan mo to go back to who you are. Let's remember, rest isn't just a break from life. it is a vital part of living fully and mindfully it is not about escaping life but engaging with it differently and sustainably so earlier we talked about how lack of rest affects the system in your body from the physical to digestion, the emotions and the cognitive. So I encourage you to take a moment today or whenever you need it to breathe, recharge, and reconnect with yourself. Because the more we prioritize rest, the more we will unlock our true potential. Not just for today, but for our long-term health, happiness, and growth. And that's a wrap for today's pause. Thank you so much for being here with me on the pause between. I'm so grateful for your time and that you chose to spend it with me. I truly hope that this episode reminded you of the power of pause and the beauty of slowing down. This space is always for you. If you want to go deeper, I created a free reflection PDF down in the notes to help you explore your whys behind your rest. And I'd love to hear from you. You can tag me or use the hashtag the pause between and I'll read your stories or any reason why you want to rest more. If you find this episode helpful, any suggestion or feedback, I really appreciate it because it helps the podcast a lot. If you can, please go and share it with someone who might need a pause. Let's build a community together. values rest don't forget to follow or subscribe so you won't miss the next episode in the next episode where we will try to dive into identifying your personal reset needs it is finding the rest that truly fits you thank you for pausing with me today rest to thrive shine and rise I'll see you on the next pause. Bye!