The 7 Types Of Rest We Should All Be Getting, According To Experts

If you’ve recently felt like no matter how much sleep you get or time off work you have, you never feel rested, it may be because you’re not getting the right type of rest.

According to Eric Zhou, an associate professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, when it comes to resting, we focus too much on sleep and neglect the many other areas of our lives that should be restful.

Speaking to Harvard Health, he said: “Many of us think about rest in the domain of physical rest, sleep is one component of physical rest and serves a very important restorative function, but sleep does not address other domains where someone may be lacking.”

He recommends that we undertake author and physician Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith’s ‘7 Types Of Rest’ framework to help ourselves avoid burnout and exhaustion.

The types of rest we need and how to identify them

1. Physical rest

While fatigue and exhaustion can make us crave a good sleep or nap (which is obviously important to recharge our batteries), Zhou believes that we should also be more active, but just in a gentle way. This can include stretching, walking and yoga. 

2. Mental rest

This is all about giving your brain a break. Some people swear by jotting down their thoughts in a notebook before bed, for instance, so they don’t spend the evening thinking about everything they need to do the next day. 

Speaking to the American Psychological Association (APA), Marianna Strongin, a clinical psychologist and owner of Strong In Therapy, recommended journalling as a way to mentally rest. “Offloading your thoughts into a notebook externalises them, giving your mind a chance to slow down,” she said. 

However, mental rest can also include low-stakes tasks like folding laundry, doing a puzzle or meditation. 

3. Spiritual rest

This is all about engaging with something that is bigger than yourself. 

Ayanna Abrams, a clinical psychologist and founder of Ascension Behavioral Health in Atlanta, told APA that for religious or spiritual people, it may be that you need to take a step back from rigid thinking that causes stress or pressure in your life.

However, it can also just mean connecting with what matters to you – for example, connecting to a cause that’s close to your heart (volunteering, perhaps) or taking time to enjoy the beauty of nature in a local park. 

4. Sensory rest

In a busy world where it is hard to escape screens and sounds, it is very easy to feel overstimulated. Sensory rest, put simply, helps you to unplug from these inputs.

Dr Dalton-Smith suggests the following: 

• Take a digital detox or switch off phones for an hour a day

• Walk in nature

• Create a quiet space free from distractions

• Sit in low lighting

• Practice breathwork and mindfulness to find focus in busy surroundings

• Listen to sounds of nature.

5. Creative rest

Creativity comes in many forms, so whether you’re struggling with writer’s block or feeling drained from the work that you do, creative rest is essential. This is all about taking a step back and enjoying nature, the arts, things that inspire. 

“As a researcher, I could go to a scientific conference where I meet new people and discuss new ideas,” Zhou said. “Creativity comes in many forms.”

6. Emotional rest

Emotional rest is all about being able to finally process your emotions, and share how you’re really feeling, rather than bottling them up.

Dr Rina Bajaj, a counselling psychologist told Stylist: “Emotional rest refers to taking intentional steps to recharge and rejuvenate our emotional energy. It involves taking time to focus on our emotional wellbeing and engaging in activities that help us to release stress and tension, and regain a sense of inner peace and balance.”

It might be practising yoga, spending time in nature, or socialising with people who fill your cup. And if you are simply too tired to physically socialise in person, even just a video call with a trusted friend can make a huge difference.

7. Social rest

If you have spent a lot of time working but not socialising, or tend to socialise in groups that you can’t completely be ‘yourself’ in, you may be in dire need of social rest.

While it may feel like your social battery is drained, chances are, you also are not spending time with people who refill your emotional energy enough.

Verywell Mind recommends the following tips to get some much-needed social rest:

• Limit time with people who drain your energy
• Spend time with people who are positive, supportive, and bring out the best in you
• Allow yourself some alone time to relax and recharge your social battery
• Make time for one-on-one connections that feel meaningful
• Say “no” to social commitments that don’t align with your energy levels.

Rest up!