We are in the holiday season and quickly approaching the end of 2021, and many of us are likely feeling burned out, exhausted, and ready for a break. But, you might be wondering what you can do to actually take care of and nourish yourself. Do you need to welcome more sleep, connection or passion into your life?
Getting rest is often associated with sleep. However, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith MD inspires us to consider a broader, more holistic approach to caring for ourselves and our needs, and teaches us that there is much more to rest than just sleep — in fact, there are seven types of rest. Depending on our individual needs and current context, we all require different types of rest at different times.
The Seven Types of Rest
Whether you want to practice one or all of these types of rest, here are some ideas for how you can go about it.
Mental
To engage in mental rest, try taking breaks from tasks, practicing time management, setting healthy boundaries, and focusing your attention on one task at a time.
Spiritual
Engage with something greater than yourself that brings you a feeling of belonging and connection. This can look like engagement with a religious practice, prayer, or meditation, or simply being in nature.
Emotional
Emotional rest can be found by connecting with yourself, using emotional granularity techniques to identify your emotions, expressing your emotions and needs with authenticity, and holding boundaries that support your emotional needs.
Social
Practice social rest by connecting to relationships that are balanced and bring you a sense of mutuality and support. Holding boundaries around social engagements and the amount of your energy you give to others is helpful as well.
Sensory
In a world where we are constantly connected, take a break from sensory inputs by limiting your time on screens. Consider dimming the lights, playing calming music, wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket or wearing your favorite comfortable clothing, or drinking warm tea. Listen to your senses and think about what helps to soothe each one.
Creative
Engage in creative rest by participating in activities that inspire you. Consider reconnecting with the arts, creating a vision board of creative interests and aspirations, or finding an image that inspires beauty and keeping it accessible — like as the home screen on your phone.
Physical
When thinking about physical rest, consider whether active, passive or a combination would be best for you. This can look like sleeping, napping, practicing certain types of yoga or stretching.
How to Get the Rest You Need
As you close out this year, take some time to slow down and explore the seven types of rest to identify which might need some attention. To do this, you might consider asking yourself the following questions:
- What contexts or experiences have felt stressful or depleting for you recently?
- Have you been engaging in activities that you know bring you joy? If not, what has fallen by the wayside?
- How have you (or haven’t you) been meeting your mental, spiritual, emotional, social, sensory, creative and physical needs?
Once you have identified what types of rest you’d like to lean into, set your intentions and make a plan. Include which specific rest activities you would like to engage in, develop a routine, and set yourself up for success by setting boundaries and limiting distractions during times of rest.
Rest is all about restoration, and if your current routine isn’t meeting your needs, now can be a great time to reinvent your approach!
