A good night rest is really important for your health. So, are you well-rested? How to ensure a good night sleep isn’t that hard to do as to how many types of rests there are. Yes, there are different types of how you are supposed to rest. This isn’t when to sleep, how long you should, or even what sleeping position is right for you. According to one medical doctor, there are seven types of rest your body needs, and you’re really missing out on all but one.
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The Seven Types Of Rest
In a new TED Ideas post, Saundra Dalton-Smith, M.D, claims there are seven types of rest, and we only get one type of rest over and over again. The rest? We don’t get the rest of the other rest (pun intended).
“We go through life thinking we’ve rested because we have gotten enough sleep — but in reality, we are missing out on the other types of rest we desperately need,” she says.
Here are the seven types of rest she outlined that are essential for your health.
#1. Physical Rest
This is the one you regularly do every day. Do you need a crash course on how to sleep? No way! You know how to sleep very well. Or maybe your sleeping position is what you need to do the right way to ensure a healthy rest, and how long you need to sleep. These are all practices you’re familiar with. However, several studies claim most of us still don’t get enough physical rest — at least eight hours of rest is required. You better enjoy your sleep well enough.
How to get it: Go to bed and sleep. Period!
#2. Mental Rest
They say a healthy mind reside in a healthy body. Fair enough. As you do well to rest your body, do you also let your mind rest? We’re talking about spending time to ease yourself from all the thoughts that flood your mind quite often. Overthinking is the major cause of most people with depression. These are signs that the average person isn’t having enough mental rest. Of course, forget about those ridiculous thoughts for a while and do yourself a restful favor.
How to get it: Stop overthinking, and avoid worrying about unnecessary thoughts.
#3. Sensory Rest
Nowadays, we can’t imagine our world without city bustle, staring at screens all day long, pinging notifications of our smartphones, and who-knows-what else our surroundings has to disturb us with. We constantly get busy with everything we engage ourselves with, disregarding the fact that our sensory stimulation is really affected. You need to escape the world to relax your nerves. Calming your nerves by staying away from the hustle and bustle is sensory rest.
How to get it: Stay away from our digital world (no electronics like TV, smartphones, and social media). Go for an awe walk instead.
#4. Creative Rest
Creativity is simply connecting old ideas to form new ones. Being creative is a good sign of productivity, but being too creative affects it. Just like our good o’l nursery rhyme says, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Sure thing, you need a break. Cultivating time off your work to relax will ensure you have enough time to think about more intriguing ideas. Its time to give yourself a break and marinate. Spend some time to rest from your creative prowess.
How to get it: Relax for some time doing nothing. Yes, do nothing. That’s it.
#5. Emotional Rest
Lets confess, we all get stressed. Hah! Do you need a rest from all the unnecessary tension from your family, friends, and coworkers? Sure. According to Dalton-Smith, this means having time and space to freely express your feelings and cut back on people pleasing. Sounds like you need a vacation. Not really! Emotional rest is all about being authentic. Be confident enough to express what’s really bugging you rather than pretending ‘Its okay.’
How to get it: Have the courage to admit to people how you really feel. For instance, if asked, “How are you?,” don’t say, “I’m okay,” when in fact you’re not. Be honest and say how you feel, or simply ignore it.
#6. Social Rest
Humans are social creatures, and our mere social interactions is what connects us to thrive. But every now and then, we get so bored with ourselves in as much as we get bored with the people around us, too. That awkward moment when you just can’t find fun at a party, but you just can’t leave the scene, either. Start planning that vacation. Some people energize you, while others drain you, but if you spend too much time with the latter type, then you need a social rest.
How to get it: Spend some time alone all by yourself. This could be reading, writing, or doing what you love most. Caution: No social media.
#7. Spiritual Rest
Last but not least, you need to connect with something larger than yourself. Of course, no matter what your spiritual predisposition or lack thereof, we all need to acknowledge the fact that we’re not alone. This is achieved by having faith in something you strongly believe in — be it your religion, passion, philosophy, or simply any cause that has a supernatural meaning to your life. Spending time to reflect on that could dramatically change your persona.
How to get it: This could be any personal intimate time you spend alone (or in the company of others) meditating, praying, rejuvenating, or trying out something that seems out of the extraordinary.
How many of these types of rest do you get?
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Written by: Nana Kwadwo, Mon, Oct 04, 2021.