Enough sleep isn't enough: 7 types of rest for complete recharge
Relaxation has many varieties (photo: Pixabay.com)
Have you ever tried to overcome constant fatigue by sleeping more, but still felt exhausted? If this describes you, here's a secret: sleep and rest are not the same, although many of us mistakenly equate them. But how do you rest properly?
Here are 7 types of rest in key areas of your life.
Physical rest
The first type of rest we need is physical rest, which can be passive or active. Passive physical rest includes sleep and napping, while active physical rest involves restorative activities such as yoga, stretching, and massages, which improve blood circulation and body flexibility.
Mental rest
The second type of rest is mental rest. You know that colleague who starts work with a large cup of coffee? He's often irritable, forgetful, and has trouble concentrating. When he goes to bed, his brain keeps replaying the day's conversations. Despite sleeping seven to eight hours, he wakes up feeling as if he hasn't slept at all. He has a deficit of mental rest.
To fix this, you don't need to quit your job or go on vacation. Schedule short breaks every two hours during the workday; these breaks will remind you to slow down. You can also keep a notebook by your bed to write down intrusive thoughts that keep you from sleeping.
Sensory rest
The third type of rest is sensory rest. Bright lights, computer screens, background noise, and numerous conversations - whether in the office or on Zoom calls - can overload our senses. You can remedy this by closing your eyes for a minute during the day and intentionally disconnecting from electronics at the end of each day. Intentional moments of sensory deprivation can begin to repair the damage caused by overstimulation.
Emotional rest
People need emotional rest, which means having time and space to freely express their feelings and reduce people-pleasing. Emotional rest also requires the courage to be authentic. An emotionally rested person can answer the question "How are you today?" truthfully with "I'm not okay," and then share some of the difficult things that would otherwise remain unspoken.
Social rest
If you need emotional rest, you likely also lack social rest. This occurs when we don't distinguish between relationships that replenish us and those that drain us.
To get more social rest, surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Even if your interactions have to be virtual, you can make them more meaningful by turning on your camera and focusing on the person you're talking to.
Different types of communication can both energize and exhaust (Photo: Freepik.com)
Creative rest
The fourth type of rest is creative rest. This type of rest is especially important for those who need to solve problems or generate new ideas. Creative rest awakens in us a sense of awe and wonder. Remember the first time you saw the ocean or a waterfall? Allow yourself to enjoy the beauty of nature - even if it's a local park or your backyard - which provides creative rest.
But creative rest isn't just about enjoying nature; it also includes enjoying art. Transform your workspace into a source of inspiration by placing pictures of places you love and art pieces that move you.
Spiritual rest
The final type of rest is spiritual rest, which allows you to feel a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance, and purpose. To achieve this, engage in something greater than yourself and incorporate prayer, meditation, or community activities into your daily routine.
Sources: Calm, TED, Psychology Today.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
