Have you ever tried to increase your sleep in an effort to overcome a persistent lack of energy, only to find that you remained worn out?
Here’s the trick if that describes you: Although many of us mistakenly conflate sleep with rest, they are not the same thing.
We mistakenly believe that since we get adequate sleep, we are refreshed while in fact we are depriving ourselves of other forms of rest that we sorely need. The end effect is a society that values high achievement, high output, chronic fatigue, and chronic burnout. Because we are unaware of the actual potential of rest, we are experiencing a rest deficit.
Seven crucial aspects of your life should be restored by rest.
#1. The first kind of rest we require is physical rest, which can be either passive or active. While sleeping and taking naps count as passive physical rest, active physical rest refers to rejuvenating exercises like yoga, stretching, and massage therapy that increase the body’s flexibility and circulation.
#2. Mental rest is the second category of relaxation. Do you have a coworker that always begins the day with a large cup of coffee? He has trouble focusing on his work and is frequently irritated, forgetful, and distracted. He frequently has trouble going to sleep at night because discussions from the day keep popping up in his head. He wakes up feeling as though he never went to sleep despite sleeping seven to eight hours. He is lacking in time for mental relaxation.
The good news is that you can address this without quitting your work or taking a vacation. Throughout your workday, schedule brief breaks every two hours; these pauses might serve as a reminder to slow down. Additionally, you might keep a notepad near your bed to record any obsessive ideas that might keep you up.
#3. Sensory rest is the third sort of rest we require. Bright lighting, computer screens, background noise, and numerous conversations—whether they take place in an office setting or on Zoom calls—can overwhelm our senses.
By purposefully unplugging from technology at the end of each day, as well as by doing something as easy as closing your eyes for a minute in the midst of the day, you may combat this. The harm caused by the world’s excessive stimulation can start to be repaired with deliberate periods of sensory deprivation.
#4. Creative rest is the fourth category of rest. Anyone who must solve problems or generate new ideas needs to get this kind of relaxation. Restoring our sense of surprise and awe through creative relaxation. Do you remember the first time you saw a waterfall, the Grand Canyon, or the sea? You may get some creative rest by allowing yourself to enjoy the outdoors, even if it’s just in your backyard or a nearby park.
However, creative rest also includes enjoying the arts and goes beyond simply admiring nature. Display pictures of the locations you love and pieces of art that inspire you in your desk to create an inspirational space. You cannot expect to feel passionately about anything, much less come up with novel ideas, if you spend 40 hours a week staring at a blank or disorganized environment.
Let’s now examine a different person – a friend that everyone considers to be the nicest person they’ve ever met. Everyone counts on them; if you need a favor, you’d contact them because, even if they don’t want to, you know they’ll say “yes” reluctantly rather than honestly. However, when this individual is by themselves, they experience feelings of rejection and being taken advantage of by others.
#5. This individual needs emotional relaxation, which is having the time and space to be yourself and refrain from trying to please others. It takes bravery to be genuine in order to get emotional calm. A person who is emotionally rested can honestly respond to the question “How are you today?” with “I’m not okay,” and then go on to relate some difficult topics that are typically kept to themselves.
#6. You probably also need social rest if you’re in need of emotional rest. This happens when we are unable to distinguish between connections that energize us and those that drain us. Having a good and encouraging environment around you will help you relax more socially. Even if your interactions must be virtual, you can opt to participate more actively by activating your camera and concentrating on your conversation partner.
#7. The last sort of rest is spiritual rest, which is the capacity to connect on a level that goes beyond the physical and mental and experience a profound feeling of purpose, love, and acceptance. To accept this, give yourself over to something bigger than yourself and incorporate daily activities such as prayer, meditation, or community service.
As you can see, sleep is insufficient to fully rejuvenate us so that we can feel refreshed. So it’s time for us to start concentrating on getting the proper kind of rest that we require.
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