In today’s fast-paced world, taking time to rest and recharge is crucial for our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Resting helps us to restore our energy levels, rejuvenate our bodies, and revive our spirits. But did you know that there are seven different types of rest? Yes, that’s right! Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, sensory, and creative rest. Each type serves a different purpose and contributes to our overall health and wellbeing in its own unique way. In this article, we’ll dive into each type of rest and how to incorporate it into your daily routine.
Physical
Physical rest can be passive or active. Taking a nap and sleeping are passive while stretching or doing yoga is active and both are as important and beneficial.
Mental
Despite sleeping for eight hours you may have mental fatigue. Scheduling short breaks to occur every two hours throughout your day can help remind you to slow down.
Sensory
Bright lights, background noise, multiple conversations can cause our senses to be overwhelmed. Try closing your eyes for a few minutes or unplugging electronic devices at the end of the day.
Creative
Creative rest reawakens the awe and wonder inside each of us. Taking a walk in nature, reading a book, doing things you loved as a child can all be creative rest ideas that feeds our imagination and helps find joy.
Emotional
Emotional rest is the freedom to authentically express feelings and eliminate people-pleasing behaviours. Therapy, journaling and taking emotional inventory of what events or people drain you emotionally and minimizing these stressors in your life.
Social
Even outgoing extroverts may find that they need a break from socializing. Social rest gives us time to connect with ourselves. Your relationship with yourself is the longest and most constant of your entire life so take time to nourish it.
Spiritual
Spiritual rest is about feeling a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance and purpose. Engage in something greater than yourself and add meditation or community involvement to your daily routine.
Incorporating these seven types of rest into your daily routine can help you to achieve a better sense of wellbeing. Remember, rest is just as important as activity, and taking time to recharge is essential for our overall health and wellbeing. So take a break and give your mind, body, and soul the rest they need!
