Have you ever felt completely drained? Not just physically but mentally and spiritually as well. Like you woke up and your body battery only charged to 10% hoping it will last throughout the day. Like so many of you, this is me sometimes. I just feel so out of it. So foggy. Especially if I haven’t had enough rest. Most of us think that if we get 8+ hours of sleep than we’re fully rested. Well, I hate to break it to you boo boo. That’s not how that works. Sleep and rest are two completely different things and it’s important to not confuse the two. Majority of our society is suffering from inadequate rest because there is not a clear understanding of what rest is. They don’t even realize that they are walking zombies! In this post, I will explain the 7 types of rest our bodies need to properly function.
“As important as it is to have a plan for doing work, it is perhaps more important to have a plan for rest, relaxation, self-care, and sleep.”
―
Why does our body need rest?
Take a look at the word RESTORATION. What other word do you see?… Rest, right?
Restoration means the action of returning something to original place or condition. Our bodies need rest. We are surrounded with constant stimuli that can drain our energy, shift our mood, and impact our physical health.
Rest is the key to restoration.
There are 7 different types of rest our bodies need. They are physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, sensory, and creative.
7 Types of Rest Your Body Needs
Each type of rest serves a specific purpose, and neglecting any one of them can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. Understanding the different types of rest and making an effort to incorporate them into our daily lives can help us to feel more energized, focused, and productive, while also promoting long-term health and wellness.
Physical Rest
Physical Rest requires you to be aware of your body. Do you work from home or spend most of your day sitting in a chair at a desk? If so, you have probably experienced some type of muscle soreness.
Whether it be lower back pain or tension in some areas. Your body will tell you when it is time to rest. You may experience lack of energy, feeling tired but having trouble falling asleep, and weakened immune system. When we depend on other sources for energy, such as caffeine, or rest, such as alcohol or drugs, this is when physical rest is important.
There are two different types of Physical Rest, passive and active.
Passive Rest
Passive Rest consists of sleeping and napping. QUALITY not QUANTITY. Our body needs AT LEAST 8-9 hours of quality sleep. Most of us barely get that at night due to our busy schedules. Not getting quality sleep, will make you feel sluggish and low on energy.
If you spent the night tossing and turning, you can add some passive physical rest to your day. Naps are essential and can restore energy and improve performance. because you are still able to get some physical rest. It is important to keep a consistent bedtime and a night time routine.
Active Rest
Active Rest includes activities that relax the body. These can include yoga, meditation, stretching, muscle relaxation, messages, etc. Yoga is very relaxing and healing. It can help you become more centered and relieve tension. Grab a mat, go to YouTube and find a yoga video, and spend time with yourself.
Mental Rest
We have experienced so much within the past couple of years. The number of individuals suffering from mental health has increased significantly. I’m sure we all have experienced moments of uncertainty, sadness, or extreme worry whether it be depression, anxiety, etc.
Mental health is very important and mental fatigue can result from many different things. This includes negative self talk, what if thinking, overthinking, stuck in the past, and afraid of judgement or being judgmental. This can lead to irritability, avoidance from family and peers, mental fog, and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Tips to help
Time management can give you mental rest and ease the mental load. During the day, schedule 10–15-minute breaks every couple of hours. At that time, grab a snack, try some breathing exercises, and relax your mind. Use this time to hit the rest button on your brain. Be productive with your day. Don’t just fill it will meaningless tasks that will keep you busy. This is actually counterproductive and can lead to brain fog.
Writing down your thoughts on a notepad or a journal can ease tension in the brain. Let everything flow out here.
Disconnect from the day early buy putting phones and other devices away an hour before bed and spend this time decompressing the mind.
Emotional Rest
Emotional rest is needed when we beat ourselves up for small mistakes, excessive worry or anxiety, feelings of self-doubt, comparing ourselves to others, or not opening up about what’s going inside. It is important to be mindful of your environment. Who are spending most of your time with? Is this group of people positive and goal driven, or do they sit around all day and gossip about others. Who we hang around shapes who we are and who we become. You don’t expect a rose to grow to its fullest potential in a garden full of weeds. It is also important to be aware of your emotions and how long you allow yourself to feel that emotion.
“Letting ourselves be forgiven is one of the most difficult healings we will undertake. And one of the most fruitful.” ― Stephen Levine
It is okay to feel sad, angry, upset because we are human. But it’s not okay to let that emotion grow like a forest fire.Another thing we all have dealt with is hiding our feelings. At times we just don’t want to let people in. I get in. Life is overwhelming sometimes. But it’s important to those emotions so you can heal.Emotional rest requires you to be authentic. You should be able to say that you are not okay.Some ways you can get emotional rest is to increase contact with things that you find emotionally stimulating and restoring.
Spiritual Rest
Spiritual rest varies based on your religious practices, but it can simply be about connecting with something greater than yourself. We all have a soul. A soul is what gives us life. At the core of our soul is the need to fulfill our purpose and contribute to the greater good. You know that feeling when you start questioning your purpose at the position you are at in life? You feel as if what your doing doesn’t matter or benefits anyone. Your soul is telling you to rest.
Find ways to get a deeper sense of love and acceptance. You can engage in soul enriching things like prayer and other religious practices, becoming involved in the community by volunteering and giving back, or by showing small acts of kindness.
Social Rest
Social Rest is needed when we fail to differentiate between relationships that drain us. It is also needed when we are engaging in too much or too little social interaction. You need to be aware of what type of person you are. Introvert or Extrovert.
Often times people experience feelings of loneliness, detachment, finding it hard to maintain relationships, isolation, finding attraction to those that mistreat you.
Learn how to spend time alone or learn how to have meaningful relationships. Also understand that everyone is different and unique. We all have different visions and aspects on life. Be mindful of the energy of others around you. Not all energy can flow on the same wavelength.
Sensory Rest
Take a look around for a second. How many lights are on in the room right now? Are there any screens in your view? What about the noise from the street, your pet, your children, significant other yelling at the TV screen while playing his XBOX? Whether you notice it or not, your senses are being overwhelmed with tons of stimulus all day long.
We tend to think going from our work screen to social media feed is considered minimizing screen time. But really, you’re just falling down the rabbit hole. Next thing you know, you’ve been on TikTok for hours looking at random cat videos.
Bright lights, computer/phone screens, background noise can cause our senses to be overwhelmed and go into system overload. Take breaks throughout the day.
Tips to help
Turn off the screens
Turn off the lights
Play some white noise
Unplug from society
Creative Rest
Yall remember when we were young, and creativity would just be pouring out of us. We had no care in the world just focused on having fun and living. As we became adults, that child innocence was buried with working, paying bills and supporting ourselves and/or family. Boooooooo! I used to call my mom often asking her to take me back because adulthood is not what it is.
Creativity is our ability to be innovative, think outside the box, or be inventive. We as humans REQUIRE creative rest when we feel stuck, uninspired, and unable to generate new ideas or solutions to problems. They key here is to be free and open.
Make time for the things that you don’t normally make time for that can refill your creative cup. Go into nature, decorate your environment, or visit a museum.
These 7 Types of Rest are Much Needed
Rest is so important. It can lead to mental fog, physical fatigue, emotional uneasiness, and much more. Now that you know more about the different types you are able to recognize the signs and unwind accordingly. Set intentions, boundaries, and limit distractions during your time of rest. Be gentle with yourself during your healing process.
