This is the first in a 9 part series on rest that we’ll be sharing over the next few months with you! Rest is so important, as I was recently reminded when my body decided that I would be forced to rest if I wouldn’t take the time for it myself. This article will introduce you to the different types of rest and talk about why rest may be difficult to do while the others will be deep dives into how we can start incorporating the types of rest into our lives.
Oftentimes, one of the first questions that I ask a client is “What does rest look like for you?” They share a variety of responses: “I relax on the couch.” “I take baths.” “I go to bed early.” And these are all great answers! Physical rest and relaxation are very important for our bodies. Occasionally, someone will also bring up taking alone time. But, I rarely hear any answers about any of the other kinds of rest.
According to Sandra Dalton in her book Sacred Rest, there are seven types of rest that we need to live healthy lives.
- The first and most often discussed is physical rest. This means allowing our bodies the time that we need to heal and recuperate. It includes things like sleep and can also include breaks throughout the day.
- The next most well-known type of rest is mental rest. We all know the feeling after a long day studying or at work of our brain feeling exhausted and wrung out. Mental rest can also involve taking breaks or doing some low effort tasks in-between the higher effort ones.
- Social rest is also widely known. Everyone needs some time alone, even if you’re extroverted. Being around people can often mean being “on” and that takes effort. Knowing your “social battery” can help determine when you need rest.
- Emotional rest allows us to authentically experience and express our emotions without ignoring our needs to take part in behaviors focused on people-pleasing or suppressing our emotions.
- Sensory rest is listed because our world is so stimulating to the senses that it can be over-stimulating at times. To help cope with this, we need to create times where our senses are being less stimulated (or not stimulated at all!) Things like stepping away from electronics for a few hours or enjoying silence can all be part of sensory rest.
- Creative rest focuses on rest from creativity, problem solving, and brainstorming. It can look like taking a break from certain projects or other creative pressures or look like finding inspiration around you without forcing yourself to create.
- Spiritual rest means focusing on your relationship with the world around you and creating meaning and purpose that extends beyond just getting through the day. While some people find this through organized religion, there is no requirement to do so.
I know that this sounds like a lot, and you may be worried that it’s impossible to add all of this to your life without running out of time. But I can promise you that you are already doing at least a few of these without even realizing it! Part of the goal of this series is to help us be intentional with our rest and get better results without having to use all of our free time.
