7 Types of Rest and their Restorative Activities 

While you may think of sleep as the only definition of rest, there are actually several types of rest to restore and rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul.

Think about it…We’ve all had periods or moments in our lives where we’ve experienced a restful 7-9 hour sleep, only to wake up feeling continuously fatigued, lethargic, and exhausted. Why is that?

It’s because as functioning members of society, we experience several types of fatigue throughout the day, week, month, and year. Whether it’s a long week at work, an argument with our spouse, a physically exhausting workout, or an emotionally traumatic event, our bodies, minds, and souls can become depleted of energy.

While sleep is an incredibly effective and important tool for restoring mental and physical fatigue, it’s not a cure-all for all types of burnout.

So, if you find that you’re achieving a restful night’s sleep but still to no avail, you may be in need of different types of rest. The following will be a discussion of the seven types of rest and what restorative activities are involved with each.

Let’s get into it!

Types of Rest

Contrary to popular belief, sleep isn’t the only way to rest. In fact, there are seven types of rest, all of which will be discussed throughout the article. Included in that discussion will be the restorative activities involved with each.

• Physical Rest
• Mental Rest
• Sensory Rest
• Creative Rest
• Emotional Rest
• Social Rest
• Spiritual Rest

In order to achieve peak energy levels and full restoration, you must give yourself rest from all seven areas of your life as necessary. The following will help you reach an optimal level of rest and rejuvenation.

Physical Rest

Physical rest can be achieved through the traditional method of rest; sleep. This can be accomplished both through a full night’s rest and/or by taking naps as needed throughout the day.

Physical rest can also be achieved through physical therapy or rejuvenating exercise such as massage therapy, chiropractic care, yoga, or stretching.

While sleep is necessary for the function of human life, actively taking care of your body through a proactive means is also a form of relief and physical rest. If you find that your body is in a constant state of tension and sleep isn’t cutting it, consider implementing a physical care routine multiple times per week.

Mental Rest

Similar to physical rest, there are two ways to rejuvenate and revitalize the mind. One is the most obvious; sleep. The other involves allowing yourself regimented mental breaks throughout the day.

We all live busy lives in our own right, so we all deserve breaks from whatever day today activities are part of our routine. Whether that’s a 10-minute break from your technology and screen-time, or simply a fresh-air walk to clear the mind from any brain fog, mental rest is key to performing at your best.

While the prevalence of hustle-culture certainly has its place, we’re all human at the end of the day. We need rest, so allow yourself to have it.

Sensory Rest

Especially in today’s modern world, and certainly in the wake of the technological era, our day-to-day lives are constantly bombarded with stimuli and sensory overload. From artificial light to screen-time and traffic noise, our brains can only take so much before their energy stores become depleted.

The solution? A break from the oftentimes overwhelming senses that control our lives.

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by technology? Unplug. Maybe the constant light is what bothers you. If so, find a meditative location free of light and indulge in peace. Or maybe it’s the constant noise; the phone rings, the car horns, the dog barks. If that’s the case, find seclusion.

Whatever the case, schedule time for a reprieve, whether an hour a day, a day a week or a week per month. Find what works for you and allow yourself sensory rest.

Creative Rest

In many work or educational environments of modern society, a level of creativity is required. Whether you work in a creative field, are studying a creative industry, or partake in a level of problem-solving throughout each day, you’ll likely experience creative blocks at some point down the line.

This doesn’t mean creativity is inherently bad. It simply means that our brains need a rest from creation in order to restore our minds and return more creative than ever.

So, if you’re in need of a creative vacation, whether for an hour or a week, allow yourself that time. Take a walk during a creative project; throw on a movie and zone out after a day of creation, or take a week off from technology. Whatever you need to do to rejuvenate the creative end of the brain, do so.

Writer’s block, literally and metaphorically speaking, is a real thing. No matter how creative one is, rest is required.

Emotional Rest

If you’ve recently had a breakdown or found yourself emotionally drained from any set of circumstances, you’re in need of emotional rest. Whether you’ve been caring for others and not yourself for a prolonged period of time, work in an emotionally demanding industry, or you’ve simply said yes to too many obligations at once, an emotional rest is necessary.

An emotional rest can involve any number of strategies, tactics, or approaches. It could be as simple as saying no to an obligation. Or, it could be as extreme as removing yourself from a situation. Lastly, it could be something more bright like a vacation of sorts.

Whatever the case, emotional rest requires you to prioritize yourself over others and allow yourself to regain emotional aptitude, for you’ve since been drained of it.

Social Rest

No matter if you’re an introvert or an extravert, humans need breaks from other people every once in a while. More specifically, humans need breaks from certain types of people, and we may experience times of disinterest in social activities; this is likely a sign that you need a social rest.

So, take it upon yourself to determine the people you feel energized around and spend more time with them. In contrast, if you’ve been loosely hanging around with individuals who drain your energy, it might be time to take a step back.

Maybe you’ve been enjoying yourself a little too much on the weekends, so much so that you find yourself drained. In this case, it’s time to take a social break and work on yourself and your health.

Spiritual Rest

The mind and the body aren’t the only two aspects of one’s self that need to be taken care of. There’s also one’s soul. In order to cleanse the soul and find reprieve from soul-sucking activities, spiritual rest is the only way.

Through rejuvenating spiritual activities such as meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, and prayer, one can begin to experience a level of spiritual rest that we’ve been needing.

“You can always begin again.” – Buddha