Have you been feeling exhausted most days? Even when you’ve gotten enough sleep?  This is because sleep and rest are different, and it is common to confuse the two.  You suffer from a rest deficit if you don’t consider the other forms of needed rest.  Rest should result in feeling restored and energized. Let’s explore the different forms of rest that you might try in the future to support overall wellbeing!

• Physical Rest: (Passive and Active)  Passive physical rest includes sleeping or napping, while active physical rest means yoga, stretching, or getting a massage, which can help circulation and flexibility.

• Mental Rest: If you are experiencing burnout, this is the type of rest you need! Schedule short breaks throughout your day.  These breaks can help you slow down the pace.  You can also keep a notebook or use your phone to write down and release any frustrating thoughts you may be experiencing. 

• Sensory Rest: Bright lights, electronic devices, and noise pollution can cause our senses to become overwhelmed and flooded.  You can address this by closing your eyes for several minutes or unplugging from your devices in the evening.  Purposeful moments of sensory deprivation can begin to help you recover. 

• Creative Rest: This is especially important for those who have to come up with new ideas, or those who have to constantly problem solve in their daily lives. It’s important for wellbeing to take time and space to enjoy the arts.  Turn your workstation into a place of inspiration by displaying images of things or places you love, or images of art that motivate you.

• Emotional Rest: Do you get caught up in people pleasing? You need the time and space to express yourself.  Gaining emotional rest requires you to be truthful regarding your emotions and needs.  If you are struggling with emotional fatigue, you can also struggle with a social rest deficit.  This happens when you have a hard time differentiating between relationships that energize from those relationships that cause exhaustion.

• Spiritual Rest: This type of rest means having the ability to feel a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance, and purpose passed the physical.  Engage in something greater than yourself.  You can pray to the God of your understanding, meditate, or volunteer in your community.

Sleep alone can’t restore us to the point that we feel well rested.  We need to focus on getting the right type of rest. We need to truly feel rejuvenated. 

Need some support in ensuring you get the rest you need? Click here.