I’ve experienced stress and migraines since I was a teenager – but this experience reminded me just how important it is to make time to retreat, before your body forces you to.
It started on moving day.
I could feel the visual aura come on just after dropping the kids at school. I was at the new house waiting for the furniture, while Greg was at the old house making sure everything was packed up.
This was a familiar feeling. I’ve experienced migraines since I was a teenager.
I popped back to the old house to drop off some tools, and while I was there, Greg adjusted me.
By the time I got back to the new house, the migraine had progressed to the hemiplegic stage – where one side of my body becomes weak and numb.
In the past, these migraines would last at least a day, sometimes up to a week. That was not something I wanted on moving day.
Fortunately, this time was different. The symptoms moved through quickly and cleared within about two hours – a record for me.
When the Body Speaks Louder
The following evening, I felt exhausted. My body was heavy, my mind foggy, and I went to bed early hoping to recover.
But my body had other plans.
I spent the night tossing and turning. Everything ached – even my teeth – and I developed a fever. The next day, I could barely move.
I ended up spending three days in bed, resting and recovering.
Stress, Overload, and the Nervous System
Looking back, the signs were there.
For weeks leading up to the move, I had been pushing – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Like many people, I kept going, ticking things off the list, ignoring the quieter signals from my body.
Until they weren’t quiet anymore.
Our bodies are constantly responding to the demands we place on them. When the load becomes too great, the body often finds ways to slow us down – whether through fatigue, illness, or more intense symptoms like migraines.
Why We Need to Retreat
We often see rest as something we earn once everything is done.
But in reality, learning when to retreat is part of how the body maintains balance.
If we don’t create space to retreat, our bodies will often create it for us.
Taking time to retreat isn’t a weakness – it’s part of how the body maintains balance.
A short pause can allow you to:
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Reset physically and mentally
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Reduce accumulated stress
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Gain clarity and perspective
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Return with more energy and focus
How to Create Space to Slow Down
A “retreat” doesn’t need to be dramatic or time-consuming.
It can be simple:
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Sitting quietly with a cup of tea
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Taking a short walk in nature
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Spending time without screens
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Reading a book
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Practicing mindful breathing
These small moments create space for your body to shift out of constant “doing” and into recovery.
Listening to Your Body
One of the most valuable skills we can develop is learning to recognise early signals from our bodies.
Fatigue, tension, headaches, disrupted sleep – these are often early indicators that something needs to change.
The earlier we respond, the less likely the body needs to escalate those signals.
A Different Perspective on Retreat
Rather than seeing rest as something that interrupts productivity, we can start to view it as something that supports sustainability.
Taking time to step back allows you to regroup, reassess, and return with more capacity.
Sometimes, all you need is a moment to retreat – before your body decides for you.
