Are You Really Resting When You’re Resting?

Do you never feel well rested?

Maybe you took a duvet day and didn’t move from the bed — but you still feel exhausted.

Or perhaps you gave yourself a few hours in the evening to go on your phone and unwind, but you still feel stressed!

It turns out that a lot of us don’t actually know how to properly rest; and it’s a skill that’s vital if we want to be the happiest, healthiest versions of ourselves.

After all – not making to time to rest can be detrimental to your wellbeing, whether you like it or not!

We’ve done a little digging to research the fine art of resting; here’s how to rest like a pro.

 

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Different kinds of rest

It turns out resting isn’t exactly a one for all; there’s lots of different kinds of rest and you have to make time for all of them!

But don’t worry, it’s not going to be overly time consuming – it’s more about tapping into what rest it is you need right now, so you can make sure it’s going to work for you.

Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith is a physician who came up with a guide for the different types of rest you should be getting, and it’s been blowing up on TikTok as of late as many other medical professionals agree with her approach to resting.

Here’s what Dr. Saundra defines as her seven kinds of rest:

Physical Rest

This might look like:

• Stretching

• Getting a massage

• Having a nap or getting a good night’s sleep

Mental Rest

This might look like:

• Social media detox

• Brain dump/give time to worry

• Scheduling breaks

Emotional Rest

This might look like:

• Journalling

• Positive affirmations

• Practicing self compassion

 

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Social Rest

This might look like:

• Alone time

• Quality time with specific people

• Saying no to plans

Sensory Rest

This might look like:

• Noise cancelling headphones

• Dim lights

• Reading/sitting in silence

Creative Rest

This might look like:

• Going to an art gallery

• Trying something new/crafty

• Going for a walk in interesting surroundings

Spiritual Rest 

This might look like:

• Meditation

• Volunteer work

• Practicing gratitude/praying

How do you know which rest to take?

The solution is about looking inward, and paying close attention to what areas of your life are really burning you out.

You come home at the end of the day and you’re drained, but why? Is it because you were working hard all day, or is it something more than that?

 

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Maybe the lights on your computer and constant stimulation have your brain feeling fried, or you simply weren’t able for the small talk at lunch time today. Sounds like you need social and sensory rest!

Are you tired because you spent the day feeling bad about yourself, or because the work you did wasn’t challenging enough and you’ve come home deflated? That calls for emotional and creative rest!

It might take a little time to work out what rest you need and when, but over time by fulfilling your resting needs you’ll become more attuned to what fixes work best.

Of course, there’s also a myriad of information on YouTube and TikTok too – but beware the scrolling trap that takes away from your real rest!

Tags:

• health
• rest
• wellness