Buzz
For years, the usual response to 'How are you?' has been 'fine,' or something along those lines. However, in recent years—especially during the pandemic—a new answer is becoming more common: telling the person that you're 'tired,' or even 'exhausted.'
There’s a lot to unpack here, but it’s clear that, for many reasons, a lot of us are truly exhausted most or all of the time. Do you even recall the last time you felt truly rested? Yeah, I don’t either.
According to Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith, a physician, researcher, and author of Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity, this might be because we’re not getting the right kinds of rest that we actually need. Here’s an overview of the seven types of rest and why understanding and getting the right one can change everything.
Rest goes beyond just sleep
If you’ve ever told someone you’re always tired, they likely suggested that you get more sleep or improve your sleep habits. While that advice isn’t bad, as Dalton Smith pointed out in an interview with Stylist, rest encompasses much more than sleep.
“We like the idea that it’s simple—that sleep should be enough to address all our restorative needs—but unfortunately, there are types of rest that sleep alone can’t provide,” she shared with the magazine.
What are the 7 different types of rest?
Through her research, Dalton Smith has identified seven distinct types of rest that our bodies and minds need. So even if you believe you've had a good night’s sleep, you might still wake up feeling drained because you're missing out on another type of rest. These types are:
Mental rest: Allowing your mind to unwind and recharge
Sensory rest: Taking a break from constant external stimuli and giving your senses a pause
Creative rest: Engaging in activities that inspire you, stepping away from constant idea generation
Emotional rest: Taking time to process and release your emotions, so you can be your true self without holding back
Social rest: Enjoying solitude when social interactions have left you drained
Spiritual rest: Connecting with something greater than the physical and mental, whether it’s a spiritual practice or personal reflection
Physical rest: Giving your body the chance to recuperate through sleep or relaxation
Understanding the type of rest you need and how to achieve it
Dalton Smith emphasizes that identifying the rest you need starts with self-reflection. You usually tap into each of the seven rest areas during your daily routine, and the first step is to figure out which one is depleting you the most.
Dalton Smith asks, “What’s your daily routine like? Do you spend your time brainstorming and creating new ideas, or are you engaging in emotionally heavy conversations, like a therapist or counselor?”
Once you pinpoint where most of your energy is going, Dalton Smith notes, “It will significantly influence the area where you're most likely to be deficient, especially if you haven’t already considered how to recover in that role or profession.”
