Daily, Weekly, and Annual Rest

Daily rest plays a crucial role in human life. It is primarily achieved through a proper balance of work periods and breaks. Adhering to a consistent daily routine is essential for maintaining and enhancing health, productivity, and longevity. This routine allows for ample time for outdoor walks, physical exercise, reading, attending the theater, watching movies, and other forms of daily active and passive relaxation. Everyone has their own way of unwinding. As N.G. Chernyshevsky once said, “…rest is the most personal matter… a person’s character is most expressed in the type of rest that is easiest and most enjoyable for them.” However, our activities during rest should differ from those related to our main work. For instance, individuals engaged in mental labor, who spend most of their day at a desk, are advised to engage in light physical work in the garden or take walks in the fresh air. Conversely, those involved in physical labor benefit from reading, exploring works of art, and watching television during their free time.

Academician A.A. Bogomolets wrote: “There should be no difference in the lives of intellectual and physical workers. Scientists should not forget about their muscles and circulation, just as it would be extremely harmful for those engaged in physical labor to lose interest in science, art, and creative endeavors.”

Daily rest is complemented by periodic (weekly) breaks. Medical and psychophysiological studies show that several weeks of annual leave do not alleviate the fatigue accumulated over a year of intense work. Therefore, it is essential to rest systematically throughout the year: every day after work and on weekends. With the introduction of two days off per week, outdoor relaxation in the forest, at summer cottages, or in park areas (often with overnight stays) has become increasingly popular. There has also been a significant rise in the popularity of one- to two-day resorts, boarding houses, and tourist and ski bases.

Outdoor walks (in forests, fields, etc.), relaxation by water bodies (with swimming and sunbathing), mushroom and berry picking, passive activities in nature (reading, board games), physical exercise, sports, and visits to historical and architectural landmarks all have a beneficial impact on well-being. Quality rest is primarily characterized by the disappearance of fatigue that builds up at the end of the workweek, improved productivity, better sleep, and reduced irritability.

Tourist hikes are gaining popularity among the public. Tourism is one form of active recreation. Spending extended periods outdoors helps strengthen the body, while the conditions of hiking, the rich surrounding nature, and the change of scenery positively affect the nervous system.

Short hiking trips can be undertaken on weekends. It is important to plan the route in advance, determining travel time and stops. Physically untrained individuals can walk 6-7 miles (10-12 km) in a day, while trained hikers can cover 12-18 miles (20-30 km) at an average speed of 2.5-3.1 miles per hour (4-5 km/h) over 5-8 hours.

Hunting is an exciting and healthful form of active recreation on weekends. During hunting, individuals engage in a lot of movement, skiing, boating, etc. The physical exertion involved in hunting is an excellent way to train muscles, heart, and blood vessels. It also enhances breathing and metabolic processes.

Fishing is another beneficial activity, especially for older adults, as it involves light physical exertion and extended time spent outdoors.

Rational use of free time becomes particularly important during vacation periods. In everyday life, free time is mostly available in the evenings and is often used for various household chores, activities with children, or educational pursuits. However, during vacation, free time extends throughout the day, making its effective and rational use paramount.

The quality of rest largely depends on the significance a person attaches to the activities they dedicate their free time to, the intensity with which they engage in these activities, and the psychological load these activities impose in relation to their regular professional duties. If a person spends all their free time idly, they soon begin to feel boredom and emptiness. Poorly organized active or passive rest can negatively impact health. The primary purpose of rest is to eliminate fatigue and restore productivity.

How does the duration of rest affect the recovery of a fatigued individual? To answer this question, Russian physiologist I.M. Sechenov conducted experiments on himself. He used a device he designed to graphically record muscle activity. To restore the productivity of his tired arm, I.M. Sechenov allowed it complete rest for varying lengths of time. He found that if, during the rest of his right arm, which was fatigued from prolonged work, he lifted and lowered a weight with his left arm, which had not been involved in work until then, the productivity of his right arm recovered faster and more completely. As a result of this rest, the arm was able to lift a heavier weight. “To my great surprise,” wrote I.M. Sechenov, “the most effective method turned out to be not the temporary rest of the working arm, but rather a rest, even if shorter, associated with the work of the other arm.”

In a series of other experiments, I.M. Sechenov demonstrated that the work of the legs or other non-fatigued organs also contributes to the quick and complete recovery of the fatigued arm. This can be explained as follows: the work of muscles is accompanied by a process of excitation in a specific group of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. Prolonged work leads to a decrease in the productivity of these cells, resulting in a protective inhibition during which their productivity is restored. This protective inhibition occurs deeper in the cells, and their productivity recovers faster and more completely if excitation occurs in other areas of the cerebral cortex. This happens when the muscles of the other arm or other muscles that had not previously participated in the work are engaged.

I.M. Sechenov’s experiments indicate that combating fatigue is more effective when complete rest is provided to the fatigued organ rather than to all organs. It is only necessary that the activity of the organs that have not been working differs as much as possible from that which caused the fatigue of the working organ.

Researchers have studied the effectiveness of rest based on leisure organization conditions in several boarding houses on the southern coast of Crimea. They conducted a time budget analysis of vacationers and formed groups based on the data obtained. One group included vacationers who began their day with morning exercises, participated in sports games, and went hiking; the other group consisted of those who preferred passive leisure. Active vacationers showed significant positive changes in the functional state of their cardiovascular and central nervous systems, while the condition of those who rested passively remained unchanged.

Active rest and prolonged time spent outdoors improve well-being not only for young people but also for older vacationers. Good results are achieved through relaxation in the forest or by water bodies.

Older adults are advised to spend their vacations in familiar climatic conditions and in small-capacity recreational facilities. Scientific studies have shown that rest in the southern regions of the country is more beneficial for young people, whose bodies adapt more easily to changed climatic conditions. For example, in health resorts like “Adler” and “Pitsunda,” high air temperatures combined with high humidity reduce the effectiveness of rest for older age groups.

However, it is not only older adults who benefit from resting in familiar climatic conditions. A comparative assessment of the effectiveness of summer vacations for adolescents in the Moscow region and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus confirmed scientists’ opinions that adolescents from the central regions of the country fare better in familiar climatic conditions.

In the Caucasus and on the southern coast of Crimea during the summer months, individuals are affected by high air temperatures and intense solar radiation. The body must adapt to new climatic conditions. During this time, it is important not to overindulge in sea bathing or sunbathing. The routine in the first days of vacation should be gentle.

However, adaptation to unfamiliar climates does not happen immediately, even in other geographical zones. Observations of vacationers in the Carpathians showed that 90% of those who arrived from distant regions of the country could not fully adapt to the low atmospheric pressure, high relative humidity, and other conditions characteristic of that area.

From the above, it follows that rest is more effective in familiar climatic conditions. Of course, when preparing for a vacation, each person should consider their individual capabilities and preferences. However, it should not be forgotten that healthy young people cope better with unfamiliar climatic conditions than older and weakened individuals.

Many prefer to vacation in the summer. This season sees the highest number of vacations. Significantly fewer people take vacations in the fall, and very few do so in the winter. As a result of this uneven distribution of vacations, especially on the Black Sea coast, a large influx of vacationers occurs in the summer. This large gathering of people leads to a deterioration in sanitary and hygienic conditions, bacterial contamination of soil and water bodies, and consequently reduces the health benefits of the vacation. Meanwhile, comparative studies of the results of summer and winter vacations have shown that they are equally effective. For example, vacationers in one of the health resorts in the Kyiv region in August and February exhibited similar positive changes in the functioning of their nervous, cardiovascular, and muscular systems. After all, the winter season has its advantages over summer: one can ski, skate, sled, and engage in sports games in indoor gyms and swimming pools.

For most people, the ideal vacation is associated with the opportunity to swim in the sea and sunbathe. Vacationers are undeterred by crowded beaches, scorching heat, and long lines. They forget that rest and comfort significantly enhance the effectiveness of relaxation. One can enjoy a wonderful vacation at any resort, regardless of the season. Even on cold days, one can sunbathe on porches made of special glass that allows ultraviolet rays to pass through. In Yalta, Pitsunda, and other resorts, there are pools with heated seawater. Winter vacations in the mountains have particularly beneficial effects on the body.

A key condition for properly organizing outdoor recreation is the variety of its forms, tailored to the age of the vacationers and their preferences (sports activities, passive relaxation, fishing, hunting, etc.), as well as the duration of the vacation. Different types of health facilities correspond to the variety of recreational forms.

Health resorts are a well-established type of year-round facility for adults. Rest in these facilities is organized based on a specific routine common to all vacationers, and the duration of stay is regulated by set timeframes. The capacity of a health resort ranges from 250 to 500 people.

Boarding houses cater to both families and individuals. They are organized like hotels, where vacationers receive a room, meals, and necessary equipment. Boarding houses can be located in rural or resort areas (depending on their location), and can be seasonal or year-round (depending on their operational time). The capacity of a boarding house ranges from 500 to over 2000 vacationers.

Recreation bases are seasonal facilities designed for weekly and annual vacations for generally healthy individuals: workers and employees of enterprises and their families.

Motels are year-round or mixed-use facilities for auto tourists. They are characterized by a high level of hotel service and a full range of technical support for vehicles.

Campgrounds are seasonal facilities designed for auto tourists, offering a simplified range of services.

RVs are seasonal facilities for auto tourists traveling with trailers.

Tent camps are equipped sites in forests or near water bodies designed for tourist relaxation.

Tourist bases are establishments located along tourist routes, in resort areas, and in suburban zones, intended to serve both groups of tourists and individuals.

Pioneer camps are recreational areas for school-aged children, located in suburban or resort areas. Depending on their operation, pioneer camps are classified as seasonal or mixed-use (year-round with increased capacity in summer).

Family-friendly vacation homes are specialized facilities designed to accommodate parents with young children (ages 1 to 7), located in suburban areas and resorts. Rest in these facilities is organized based on a special routine for children.

Children’s summer camps are designed to serve children’s tourist groups. They are primarily located in suburban recreational areas and cater to 150 to 300 children.

Weekend tourist bases are places for day trips for tourists. They provide necessary tourist equipment for vacationers and qualified guides for groups. Weekend tourist bases are located at key or intermediate points along the most attractive routes.

Fishing and hunting bases are facilities that serve fishermen and hunters. They are organized in hunting grounds and operate year-round. The capacity of such a base is 10-40 (hunting) and 50-300 (fishing) places.

Knowing how to relax is just as important as knowing how to work. The organization and discipline of rest are among the most important conditions for strengthening health and increasing productivity.

Rest is effective when time spent outdoors, nutrition, physical activities, and sleep are all governed by a strict daily routine. This is ensured in health resorts, boarding houses, and other wellness facilities.

During rest, just like during work, the day should begin with exercise. Morning exercises enhance circulation, deepen breathing, and boost metabolism. It is advisable to do exercises outdoors. A set of physical exercises should be selected based on a doctor’s recommendations, taking into account the age and health condition of the vacationer.

It is also very beneficial to engage in hardening procedures during rest: water and air treatments. These should not be discontinued after the vacation, gradually increasing the load on the body over time.

Water treatments, such as dousing and wiping, should begin at a water temperature of 82-86°F (28-30°C). As one becomes accustomed to the cold, the water temperature should be lowered (by 1°F every 3-5 days) until it reaches 61-64°F (16-18°C). The duration of the procedure should also gradually increase. After each wiping with a wet towel, dousing, showering, or bathing, the skin should be dried with a towel, using massage-like movements directed toward the heart. The skin will turn pink, and the person will feel a rush of warmth.

Air baths, like water treatments, enhance the body’s resistance to adverse environmental factors, particularly to cold-related illnesses; they improve thermoregulation and the functional state of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems.

During air baths, tactile receptors in the skin are stimulated by moving air. The skin is also affected by diffuse solar radiation. The intensity of this radiation is low, so after air baths, there is typically no observed thermal or ultraviolet erythema (skin redness).

Air baths can be taken in special aerotherapy rooms, shaded areas, parks, or on porches. They are classified into warm air baths with minimal cooling effects (temperatures of 68°F (20°C) and above), cool (temperatures of 61-66°F (16-19°C)), and cold (temperatures below 59°F (15°C)). Warm air baths can be taken while lying on a mat or lounge chair; cool and cold baths should be taken while moving, performing light exercises. Initially, warm air baths are recommended for 15-20 minutes, cool baths for 5-10 minutes, and cold baths for 2-3 minutes. The duration of these procedures should be gradually increased: in the first case, by 15-20 minutes, in the second by 5-10 minutes, and in the third by 3-5 minutes. The total duration of exposure to warm air should be increased to 2-3 hours per day, cool air to 1.5-2 hours, and cold air to 30 minutes per day. The duration of air baths should also be determined by the body’s response. One should never push themselves to the point of feeling chilly, shivery, or experiencing goosebumps.

During rest, it is also essential to eat a balanced diet. The dietary regimen should include foods that provide sufficient quantities of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water in the most beneficial ratios for the body. Meals should be varied, including meat, dairy, and plant-based foods. In hot months, it is advisable to consume more dairy and plant products. It is crucial to maintain a proper meal schedule. Meals can be three or four times a day.

For individuals with excess body weight, it is especially important to adhere to a rational dietary regimen during rest. A diet characterized by low energy value, combined with systematic engagement in hygienic exercises and water treatments (showers, swimming, walking with gradually increasing distances), contributes to improved metabolism and weight loss.

Harmful habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption negatively impact the results of rest. Alcohol is a potent toxin that adversely affects all systems of the body. It penetrates brain tissue, causing intoxication, which is essentially acute poisoning of the central nervous system.

Those who believe that small doses of alcohol relieve fatigue are mistaken. The brief feeling of vigor after consuming alcohol arises from the suppression of the cerebral cortex and the resulting inability to perceive physical fatigue.

Alcohol has harmful effects on the cerebellum and the centers of the spinal cord. Symptoms of cerebellar damage include unsteady gait, impaired coordination, and involuntary eye movements (nystagmus). Muscle relaxation and loss of all types of sensitivity are signs of alcohol’s paralyzing effects on the spinal cord.

The negative influence of alcohol also affects the state of the vasomotor center and the body’s thermoregulation. The sensation of warmth under the influence of alcohol is temporary. Subsequently, the body’s heat production decreases, heat loss increases, and the body becomes hypothermic. Therefore, a person under the influence of alcohol easily freezes in the cold.

Drinking vodka or wine to improve appetite, warm up, boost productivity, or mood, or even to treat illnesses is a very dangerous path that gradually leads to health deterioration and ultimately results in severe illness—chronic alcoholism. As L.N. Tolstoy said, wine “…destroys the physical health of people, ruins mental abilities, devastates family wealth, and, worst of all, destroys the souls of people and their offspring.”

Medical science and everyday observations by doctors increasingly convince us of the necessity to wage a broad and mass campaign against smoking, which causes significant harm to health. It has been established that the seemingly harmless cloud of tobacco smoke contains toxic substances that have a detrimental effect not only on the smoker’s body but also on the health of those around them, especially children. In addition to nicotine, tobacco smoke contains other harmful substances: carbon monoxide, pyridine bases, cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and essential oils.

Smoking during rest significantly reduces its effectiveness. One cigarette increases the pulse by 20 beats per minute, raises blood pressure by several dozen millimeters, and lowers body temperature. These changes persist for about half an hour. Throughout the day, a smoker’s heart bears a significant additional load, which is not without consequences for health.

Beneficial effects on a person’s well-being come from outdoor walks, physical exercises, and sports activities. Volleyball, basketball, tennis, and other active games enhance mood and overall body tone. Gymnastic exercises particularly positively affect the cardiovascular system. At rest, 55-75% of blood circulates in the body, while the rest is stored in the spleen, liver, and skin, which serve as a sort of reservoir. Increased circulating blood volume during exercise improves tissue nutrition and metabolism. Under physical load, the utilization of oxygen by tissues significantly increases: at rest, cells absorb about 30% of the oxygen entering the body, during physical exertion—up to 47%, and for those who regularly engage in physical culture and sports—up to 73%. A trained heart pumps 80-100 cubic centimeters of blood with each contraction, while an untrained heart pumps only 50-60 cubic centimeters. Physical exercises also enhance respiratory function: respiratory muscles strengthen, chest mobility increases, and lung capacity improves. For example, the lung capacity of individuals who previously did not engage in sports increases by approximately 17-30 cubic inches (500 cubic centimeters) within the first few weeks of training.

Physical culture has another crucial feature: it positively influences a person’s emotional state, inducing feelings of vigor and focus.

It is best to engage in sports activities in the morning (before noon) and in the afternoon (from 4 PM to 7 PM). During the summer, beaches and water bodies are popular relaxation spots. It is common to see vacationers lying motionless for hours under the scorching sun. However, it is much more beneficial to pay more attention to active games, such as volleyball and tennis, which can be played on courts near the beach, and to engage in water sports. The physical load should correspond to the age and health condition of the vacationers.

Excursions and tourist hikes greatly contribute to the variety of rest, enhance body tone, and broaden horizons.

Tourist trips can be categorized by modes of transportation into active (on foot, skiing, boating, horseback riding, cycling, etc.) and passive, and by duration into one-day hikes and multi-day journeys.

Trips involving active modes of transportation require participants to have prior physical preparation, the ability to overcome natural obstacles, and skills for hiking life. The health benefits of a hiking trip depend on the proper scheduling of movement along the route. At least 25% of the travel time should be allocated for rest, evenly distributed throughout the journey. One-day breaks during long hikes are recommended every 3-4 days. For this, a location with access to water and fuel should be chosen.

During hikes, it is essential to adhere to sanitary and hygienic requirements, personal hygiene rules, clothing hygiene, and hydration protocols. The nutrition, gear, clothing, and footwear of tourists depend on the climatic region, season, and type and form of travel. The diet of tourists should include foods characterized by high energy value, low weight, and non-perishability. It is advisable to have three meals a day, with a mandatory hot meal during a long break. During trips, liquid intake should be reduced to avoid overloading the heart. In challenging hikes in hot climates, it is beneficial to drink salted water to minimize fluid loss through sweating.

A tourist’s clothing should be waterproof and easy to use. Their personal gear consists of a backpack and sleeping bag. The recommended load for men is no more than 35 lbs (16 kg), and for women, no more than 26 lbs (12 kg). Footwear is particularly important for travelers; it should be comfortable, sturdy, well-fitted, and waterproof. To avoid chafing and blisters, wool socks should be worn. Clothing should fit the body without restricting movement or breathing. A head covering is essential: in summer to prevent sunstroke, and in winter to protect against hypothermia. In mountainous areas with large snowfields, during skiing trips, tinted glasses should be used to protect the eyes.

The health benefits of tourism are determined by the positive effects of natural factors such as air, water, and sunlight, combined with the overall strengthening influence of muscular activity. The most beneficial type of tourism for health is hiking. Walking develops and strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, improves digestive processes, normalizes low metabolism, and trains the musculoskeletal system. Hiking is particularly recommended for individuals experiencing general fatigue with functional nervous disorders (weakness, loss of appetite, irritability, etc.). For therapeutic and preventive purposes, tourism is practiced at resorts and sanatoriums in the form of one-day walks, hikes with overnight stays, and multi-day tourist trips lasting 2-5 days. The average distance for one-day hikes is 6-9 miles (10-15 km). Depending on the health condition and fitness level of participants, the route can be extended to 12-18 miles (20-30 km). Short breaks should be taken every 2-3 miles. To build endurance during hikes, prior training with gradually increasing daily distances and loads is important. Before embarking on multi-day trips with significant physical exertion, participants undergo medical examinations to assess their health and fitness levels.

As we have emphasized, taking vacations in summer in unfamiliar climatic conditions can significantly affect the health of vacationers. Resort factors (air temperature, solar radiation, sea bathing) can have both positive and negative effects on the body, depending on their intensity. The body must adapt to new climatic conditions. Therefore, in the first days at the resort, the daily routine should be gentle. It is especially important to properly take sun and water baths.