If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. And while self-care may mean different things to different people, the need for adequate rest is universal. To live well and feel well for as long as possible, it’s essential to bake rest into your daily routine, instead of trying to ‘catch up’ with a quick trip to a tropical beach or destination spa, as lovely as those trips may be. You can’t really bank or stockpile rest; it needs to be a daily habit.
Most of my patients and my readers are familiar by now with the health-supporting essentials – a healthy diet, plenty of movement, stress reduction, quality sleep and so on. But when it comes to rest – another key wellness ingredient – there’s more uncertainty. Most people equate rest solely with sleep, but there's a good bit more to it. To truly thrive over the long-haul, you should understand that rest is more than just sleeping soundly through the night (though that’s a good start). Fact is, rest has many faces, seven of them to be exact.
The idea of the 7 types of rest being crucial to good health gained traction a few years ago as physicians began seeing dramatically increasing numbers of exhausted patients throughout the pandemic and beyond. More and more people, both healthy and not-so, scoured the internet for answers to the question, “why am I tired all the time?” Throw in a TED Talk or two on the idea and a well-regarded book on the importance of rest by physician and researcher Saundra Dalton-Smith and we had a new awareness of the many dimensions of rest. It wasn’t a one-size-fits-all/sleep-a-bit-more approach, instead a more customized way of attacking the not-enough-rest problem – with actionable (and pleasurable) ways to weave more and better rest into an optimal longevity program. What follows is a topline on the many forms that rest can take and how to service each aspect of it in your life – so you can truly thrive:
1) Physical Rest: You probably know the feeling of being ‘bone tired,’ that feeling when you’re so depleted, you can barely get off the couch. Time for some physical rest! It’s the kind of rest that enables our bodies to recuperate from the physical demands of the day. Physical rest gives your muscles time to relax, repair and renew themselves, helping to put the spring back in your step, and better yet, reducing injury risk. There’s a reason even elite athletes make time for physical rest.
Your physical rest-cure: Physical rest includes both passive rest, such as sleeping or lying down, and active rest, like engaging in activities that don't strain the body. Taking it easy, taking it slow, and indulging in things that enable the body to heal and unwind with little physical exertion. Think a relaxing bath, a massage, time in the steam room or infrared sauna, napping or just curling up with a good book. You can also do some light stretching or gentle restorative yoga.
2) Mental Rest: For most of us, every day, our brains are subjected to a fire-hose of stimuli and information, coming in at a volume and speed that would have been unimaginable 30 or so years ago. Since then, daily life has subjected many of us to a non-stop mental noise barrage that brings with it extraordinary amounts of mental fatigue. Talk about system overload. If our brains were circuit boards, they’d be shooting off sparks! Mental rest involves giving our brains a break inside and out. It means turning down the outside noise, and the endless mental chatter inside our heads, as we think, anticipate, strategize, rethink -- and generally don’t cut ourselves a break.
Your mental rest-cure: Pull the plug on the noise even if just for a few minutes each day. It’s like making time for a time-out for your brain. To get there, try practices like mindfulness, meditation, time in nature or taking moments of quiet reflection or prayer if that’s your thing. By allowing our minds to rest, we give our brains permission to take a breather, thereby enhancing cognitive function, focus and mental resilience, while also reducing stress and anxiety.
3. Emotional Rest: Emotional rest is about tending to and processing our emotions in a healthy way. Suppressing emotions or dwelling on negative thoughts can take a toll. It’s also about acknowledging feelings – even the uncomfortable ones – rather than suppressing them or acting like they’re not actually happening. They are happening and you need an emotional break, but it’s up to you to set some boundaries to get it.
Your emotional rest-cure: To rest emotionally, start with self-compassion and cultivating relationships that lift you up. Putting distance between you and those who drain your energy is also key. It doesn’t necessarily mean a permanent break-up (though in some cases it may) but it does mean knowing when to put people on pause and not being afraid to follow through. From there, engage in activities that bring you joy and a sense of calm which, when you put them all together, is the recipe for improved emotional wellbeing, stronger positive relationships and improved overall quality of life which in turn enhances longevity.
4. Social Rest: We are, as a species, inherently social creatures, but social interactions – even having a calendar full of good ones – can also be a massive drain on your energy. That goes double for introverts or those with social anxiety. In other words, give yourself permission to lay low on occasion. Unless you’re running for office, or working behind the bar at a night club, you probably don’t need to be out socializing 5 nights a week.
Your social rest-cure: This one is tough for some, particularly those who have a hard time saying no to invitations, but the process is simple: just say no. As in intentionally withdraw from selected social engagements and ‘obligations’ to make time for yourself to recharge. The goal is to prioritize quality over quantity in social interactions and to make the most of your time with people who energize you and uplift your spirits.
5. Spiritual Rest: The world is in a difficult phase and some of that tumult, not surprisingly, seeps into our spirits. It can make our souls ache and sap our energy. When we talk about spiritual rest, it’s about more about giving your spirit a break rather than taking a break from Sunday services. It’s about stepping off the chaos merry-go-round for a bit, hitting the pause button and consciously giving your spirit time to refresh itself.
Your social rest-cure: For thousands of years humans have refreshed their souls and spiritual well-being through prayer, meditation, or spending time in nature – and those practices continue to help soothe the soul and rest the spirit. They also help us get out of our heads, reconnect with our innermost selves, and transcend the material world even if it’s just for a few moments.
6. Sensory Rest: Much like mental rest, here too, the noise of modern life is an energy sapper, but with sensory rest, our senses are constantly over-stimulated which unfortunately sets the table for overload and fatigue, that why-am-I-so-tired feeling at virtually every turn.
Your sensory rest-cure: Getting a daily dose of good sensory rest involves conscious unplugging, as in intentionally reducing or eliminating sensory input to give our senses a break. Simple ways to intentionally tune out: spending time in a quiet, dimly lit room or quiet space, like a church or library; minimizing exposure to screens or going screen-free after certain hours or even one day a week; or focusing on activities that soothe and calm the senses, such as listening to ambient or calming classical music.
7. Creative Rest: Creativity is a fundamental aspect of human expression, it’s fun and enjoyable, even soul-stirring, but it doesn’t always come easily. Whether you’re a budding Michelangelo, an advertising executive with a presentation to make or dabbling in poetry or songwriting to be creative, periods of rest and incubation must be part of the process, and creative rest is a part of that natural breaking system.
Your creative rest-cure: Though it may seem counterproductive, make this bold stroke: step away from the canvas. As in put down the pen or paintbrush from time to time (or daily, depending on how central creativity is to your life) in order to give fresh perspective and ideas to percolate, bubble up to the surface and flow more naturally. Switch gears and engage in a different activity that sparks your curiosity, wonder and or joy, without pressuring yourself to be productive or increase creative outfit. Slow your creative roll to help reignite your gifts. Doing so will help prevent burnout, enable you to overcome creative blocks more quickly and reconnect with your innate creativity more effortlessly.
These seven types of rest are all interconnected and neglecting one can impact the others—which is why it’s so important to understand and appreciate each of the types. Finding the right balance for yourself involves recognizing your individual rest needs and cultivating the habits and practices that support them. It's not about achieving perfection but rather embracing rest as an essential component of a healthy and fulfilling life. Nurture it—physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually, sensorily, and creatively—and you’ll be well on your way to creating better resilience, vitality – and ultimately longevity – so let’s hear it for rest!
