Feeling exhausted despite getting enough sleep? You may be neglecting other, equally important forms of rest. While sleep is an important component of well-being, a multi-faceted approach to rest is key to restoring energy levels and improving your ability to function.
Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, author of Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity, explained the importance of a holistic approach to rest in a 2021 TED Talk. “We’ve incorrectly combined the concepts of sleep and rest and in doing so, we have dumbed down rest to the point it appears ineffective,” Dalton-Smith explains. “The result is a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically tired, burned-out individuals.”
Dalton-Smith describes seven essential types of rest required to address the “rest deficit” that pervades American culture. Along with preventing fatigue and burnout, rest can play a role in improving resilience to everyday challenges. “Without rest, we are like elastic bands stretched almost all the way to capacity,” says Natalie Dattilo-Ryan, PhD, an instructor at Harvard Medical School and owner of Priority Wellness Therapy. “Rest is a form of self-care that decreases the tension, so when that stressful phone call or email comes, you won’t snap.”
While rest sometimes means taking a break from draining activities, it can also be active, says Marianna Strongin, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and owner of Strong In Therapy in New York City. For example, spending time with supportive people, taking your favorite workout class, or going on a nature walk can all be restful. The key is to identify where you use the most energy and focus on finding what restores you in those particular areas.
Physical rest
Physical rest is just what it sounds like: restoring your body’s energy. This may include prioritizing sleep or taking a nap when you need one. But physical rest, Strongin says, doesn’t always mean being still—maybe you get a massage to address tense muscles after a stressful week or stretch instead of doing a hard workout.
Rather than simply increasing the duration of nightly sleep, you can also take active steps to improve its quality, says Laurie Santos, PhD, professor of psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast. For example, you could keep your phone outside your bedroom to avoid bedtime scrolling that can interfere with your body’s ability to wind down. Or, you could add black-out curtains and turn on white noise to block out distractions.
Mental rest
When your brain is active for long periods, you may begin to feel mentally drained. Mental rest means finding ways to quiet your thoughts, to give your brain a chance to refuel. At work or school, giving your brain a break may look like scheduling breaks from mentally taxing work—or swapping draining tasks for low-stakes, mindless ones, like folding laundry or working on a puzzle.
Strongin often encourages journaling for patients with racing thoughts. “Offloading your thoughts into a notebook externalizes them, giving your mind a chance to slow down,” she says. Practicing mindfulness or meditation can also help by redirecting focus on physical sensations rather than your mental to-do list.
Emotional rest
Emotional labor can also be a depleting experience. Emotional rest, Strongin says, involves finding practical ways to authentically express your feelings, freeing you of the exhausting pressure of “holding it together.” Resting emotionally could look like processing your emotions with a friend or your therapist rather than pushing them aside or saying “no” to emotionally intense activities. You may also set limits and boundaries with emotionally draining people and roles, or turn your phone on “do not disturb” mode to distance yourself from emotionally stressful demands or conversations.
Social rest
Not only introverts need social rest. Being around people all the time means being “on,” which can be draining for anyone. Social rest may mean scheduling fewer activities during the week or spending more time alone to recharge. As with emotional rest, you may even want to set boundaries or limit time with people who are difficult to be around. Alternatively, increasing the right kinds of social connection can also be restorative, explains Santos. “It’s important to focus on relationships that feel supportive and meaningful,” she says.
Sensory rest
The world can be loud, and constant exposure to technology only increases the noise, potentially overwhelming your senses. “Try to occasionally take breaks from anything you rely on your senses to register, whether background noise in your environment or screens that strain your eyes,” says Dattilo-Ryan. If you take a tech break, Santos recommends replacing screen time with restorative activities, such as connecting with a loved one or spending time outdoors.
Creative rest
If you have a job that requires creativity, brainstorming, or problem-solving, you may need some creative rest. Along with giving your brain the occasional break from those demands, find ways to engage in creative hobbies—whether knitting, writing, baking, or painting—for fun. Santos says participating in activities that inspire a sense of awe and wonder, like visiting an art museum or taking in a beautiful lakeside or ocean view, can also restore your creative reserves.
Spiritual rest
If you have a religious or spiritual practice, rest may mean stepping back from rigid ways of thinking that cause stress or pressure in your life, says Ayanna Abrams, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and founder of Ascension Behavioral Health in Atlanta. But spiritual rest can also mean taking steps toward what feels nourishing to you, says Santos—refilling your tank by connecting to a cause that’s meaningful to you or simply taking time to enjoy the beauty of nature.
Reframing rest
If you find yourself resistant to rest, it may be helpful to reframe the idea of rest altogether. Rather than a passive act that hinders your progress or productivity, think of rest as an investment in your energy store. “I think about energy like a bank account,” says Dattilo-Ryan. “When you’re busy, you’re making withdrawals and not many deposits. When you rest, you’re building a diversified portfolio of investments into your account.”
But keep in mind that the focus on productivity, or thinking about what taking a break can help you achieve, can make the experience counterproductive. “When you tie rest to an outcome, you create pressure that makes rest less restful,” says Abrams. True rest requires being present in the moment, even when it’s uncomfortable. If you notice yourself feeling bored or even agitated when you disconnect from productivity, give yourself permission to experience uncomfortable feelings. Tell yourself rest feels hard not because you’re doing it wrong, but because you’re not used to doing it.
And remember: How you rest should be as unique as you are. “We all vary in terms of capacity and needs but also within ourselves day-to-day,” says Dattilo-Ryan. “It’s a matter of asking yourself habitually, ‘How am I doing and what do I need?’”
