Have you ever tried to fix an ongoing lack of energy by getting more sleep — only to do so and still feel exhausted?
If you’ve ever told someone you’re tired all the time, they’ve probably told you that you need to get more sleep or improve your sleep hygiene. Here’s a secret: sleep and rest are not the same things, despite the fact that many of us confuse the two.
What are the seven different types of rest?
Getting enough rest is essential if you want to be happy, healthy, and productive. Here are the various types of rest you require to feel your best:
Physical: Physical rest refers to the act of resting your body. Physical rest can include anything that restores your body, such as getting a massage or attending a yoga class, in addition to sleep. Physical rest refers to the act of resting your body. Physical rest can include anything that restores your body, such as getting a massage or attending a yoga class, in addition to sleep.
Mental: Mental rest means giving your brain a break. When people are overwhelmed and find it difficult to switch off their thoughts, they require mental rest.
Emotional: Emotional rest is about being authentic and honest with yourself about your feelings. When people become actively engaged in people-pleasing activities, they need emotional rest (saying yes to a commitment, even though they want to say no).
Social: Social rest entails pursuing positive, energizing, and supportive social connections, as well as taking a break from socialization entirely. People frequently require social rest when their relationships drain and exhaust them.
Sensory: Sensory rest refers to giving your senses a break. People require sensory rest when their senses are overwhelmed by constant stimuli, such as spending the entire day glued to computers, phone, and TV screens.
Creative: Creative rest is about exposing yourself to artistic, nature-based, and innovative environments, without feeling the need to produce a creation—and feeling the sense of inspiration that comes along with them. People need creative rest when they feel stuck, uninspired, and unable to develop new ideas or solutions to problems.
Spiritual: Spiritual rest is about connecting with something larger than yourself. People need spiritual rest when they find themselves so caught up in their issues that they can’t see or connect with the bigger picture.
As you can see, sleep alone can’t restore us to the point we feel rested. So it’s time for us to begin focusing on getting the right type of rest we need.
Paying attention to these rest deficits is a critical part of productivity. If you’re exhausted, you can’t do your best work—and if you’re not getting the right type of rest, you’re not going to be able to get past that exhaustion.