Musings | The 7 Types of Rest We Need
“Rest and be thankful.”
Do you get enough sleep most evenings only to wake up still feeling tired? If that describes your reality, you will be relieved to learn that sleep and rest are not the same things. Often confused as synonymous terms, they are quite different, and we need both to feel restored. Sleep, which generally occurs at night when we are, well, sleeping, represents only one type of restorative activity. Did you know there are seven types of rest and that we desperately need all of them?
We all may be suffering from a sleep deficit simply because we do not understand the power of rest. The good news is that the seven types of rest we need are relatively easy to access and embed in our lives – once we know what they are and how to engage in them. See below for a quick summary of these essential restorative activities, and check out the links at the bottom for more detailed information.
The 7 Types of Rest That Every Person Needs (Saundra Dalton-Smith MD)
Physical Rest: This can be passive (sleeping or napping) or active (yoga, stretching, or massage). Active rest helps improve the body’s flexibility and circulation.
Mental Rest: Mental rest is achieved when we take short breaks throughout the day to reset our concentration and slow down. Keeping a notepad beside your bed to jot down any work thoughts or ideas from your day can help you empty your brain so you can sleep. When we don’t take mental rest breaks through the day, our sleep can be disrupted and feel like it is not restorative.
Sensory Rest: Sensory overload can come from bright lights, background noise, or computer and device screens. Our world can undoubtedly be overstimulating at times. Ongoing exposure to sights and sounds that tax our senses can make us feel overwhelmed. Sensory rest can be achieved by simply closing your eyes for a minute at various intervals throughout the day. Being intentional about unplugging from technology each day can also create the opportunity for sensory rest.
Creative Rest: When we get creative rest, the awe and wonder within us is reawakened. This type of rest is essential for those who need to solve problems or brainstorm new ideas. Creative rest can be achieved by merely taking in the beauty of the outdoors, wherever you have access to outside. The other way to promote creative rest is by turning your workspace into a place of inspiration by displaying photos or images of places you love or art you enjoy.
Emotional Rest: We need emotional rest when we are not honoring our boundaries with others and when we fail to say “no” when we really want to. Emotional rest provides us with space to freely express how we feel and limit the amount of people-pleasing we do.
Social Rest: We get social rest when we learn to differentiate between the relationships that revive us and those that drain us. To get more social rest, surround yourself with supportive and positive people that fuel you instead of exhaust you.
Spiritual Rest: We can engage in spiritual rest when we connect with or engage with something greater than ourselves. We can do this through meditation, prayer, or involvement in the community.
“Rest is the most underused, chemical-free, safe, and effective alternative therapy available to us.”
-Saundra Dalton-Smith MD