The 7 types of rest you need
Do you feel like there’s times where no matter what you do, you’re still tired? It’s easy to think if we get a few more hours of sleep and we’ll feel better, but maybe it’s because you’re not getting the RIGHT kind of rest. Knowing what kind of rest your body is needing is a great way to combat burnout, according to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are 7 types of rest we need. Each type focuses on a different aspect of our lives, and it’s not just getting 8+ hours of sleep a night.
Physical rest
Listening to the physical needs of our body can be hard, since most of us feel so disconnected to our bodies, but physical rest is just giving your body some gentle love, giving our muscles time to recover.
There are two types of physical rest; active and passive. Active includes things that are restorative such as going for a walk and stretching where Passive mainly refers to sleeping or napping.
Mental rest
Mental rests are focused on calming and quieting your mind, helping you to take a breath and slow down. Activities can include mindfulness and journalling, taking short breaks throughout the day, and reducing the mental load.
Emotional rest
Emotional rests mean to take a step back from the emotional demands we all face every day. This gives us time and space to process our feelings and maintain emotional balance.
Activities can include talking to a trusted friend, journalling, therapy, spending time in nature or grounding, and setting and maintaining boundaries.
Social rest
Even though we are social creatures, socialising can be draining especially when you feel as though you have nothing left to give, or around those who you feel used by. Taking a break from social interactions gives us time to recharge, maintain emotional boundaries, and helps us avoid emotional burnout.
Activities can include spending time alone, spending time with those who make you feel loved, avoiding draining social situations, and practicing self-care.
Creative rest
Creative rest refers to the everyday hustle and grind we find ourselves in today, taking a break gives your mind a chance to explore new ideas, helps us stay motivated and inspired, and can bring inner child healing.
Activities include pursuing a new hobby, doing something you love just for the sake of it, and just enjoying beauty in all its forms, nature or man-made.
Sensory rest
With technology being so convenient, most of us are overstimulated by the constant screens, noise, and stresses of life. Sensory rest can help reduce stress and feeling overwhelmed and calms the nervous system.
Activities can include avoiding social media, turning off devices for a time, turning off notifications, taking a bath, spending time in nature/listening to nature sounds, and practicing deep breathing
Spiritual rest
When we rest spiritually, we give ourselves to truly connect with the divine and the universe, and our inner and higher selves. This allows for clearer messages to come through and allows you to feel more confident within your spiritual journey and help reconnect with community. Activities include mediating, spiritual healing, spending time in nature, and praying.
Balancing all the types of rest is vital for avoiding burnout and to recharge your own batteries. Allowing ourselves the correct type of rest we need can feel selfish and can bring up feelings of guilt due to the social climate we find ourselves in, but taking time to prioritise your health is not selfish, it is essential. We need to reframe rest not as “doing nothing”, but as something important and necessary, a vital part in the rhythm of life.
Learning what we need is such an incredible journey, one we’ll all be travelling for our lifetimes. But what an absolute privilege it is to what to understand ourselves so wholly, that we are able to provide for ourselves.