Have you ever tried to recover your energy by sleeping longer - only to be just as exhausted the next day? That's because rest is often exclusively associated with sleeping or relaxing on the couch, but it's not just that. Rest includes much more than that, especially for highly sensitive people, who are much more sensitive to all the stimuli in their environment as well as the emotions and energies of others. Learning to rest well is an art that everyone should master. Sleep is certainly important, but it is not always enough to recover all the functions of our body.
Rest is crucial for our mental and physical well-being. If we do not rest enough, our body can undergo significant stress that can lead to chronic illness or burnout. Rest allows our body to regenerate and repair itself, helping to prevent exhaustion and maintain our health.
Rest is:
1. Of course physical rest to give our body time to recover after physical activity or stress. This can be passive rest (like sleeping or napping) or active rest (like stretching, yoga, or tai chi).
2. It’s also social rest. This doesn’t mean avoiding socializing completely, but spending time with people who don’t expect anything from you except your company, laughing together, being authentic with them, and connecting with other people. Social relationships are important for our mental and emotional health to help us feel supported and connected.
It’s also taking breaks from social media or being intentional about the time spent responding to messages, emails, etc.
3. Mental rest is also very important, especially for HSPs, who need to give their constantly buzzing brain a break. It’s crucial to focus and effectively accomplish the tasks of the day. Regular breaks to mentally recharge are therefore necessary. Whether it’s meditating, taking a walk, or tidying up our space at work or at home, it’s important to rest our minds throughout the day.
Activities like meditation, a scrolling break from technology, or simply focusing on the sensations in your body are some options that can help you stop all mental chatter.
4. Emotional fatigue is one of the big challenges for HSPs who often repress their feelings and absorb the energies of others. So emotional rest is essential for our mental well-being. It involves being honest with ourselves and others to avoid wearing a mask all day. It also means recognizing and managing our emotions in a healthy and constructive way. Expressing and sharing our emotions in an authentic way by allowing ourselves to cry, keeping a journal, practicing gratitude, or confiding in a professional are some of the ways to overcome this fatigue.
5. Creative rest consists of exposing ourselves to inspiring environments without the pressure of creating something. Whether you’re an artist or not, it’s important to take breaks to boost your creativity. It helps recharge your brain and give you inspiration. Creative breaks can include activities like painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument. It’s anything that helps you feel inspired, like nature, an art gallery, trying a new recipe, or taking pictures.
6. Spiritual rest involves connecting with something greater than yourself to nourish your soul or spirit. This can include activities like prayer, meditation, reading spiritual texts, random acts of kindness, or volunteering.
7. Sensory rest is an opportunity to give your senses a break from environmental stimuli like technology, bright lights, or loud noises. And we know that highly sensitive people are particularly affected by all of these sensory stimuli. So silence in a dimly lit room, relaxing music, loose clothing, cozy socks, soothing scents or a candlelit bath are all options to introduce sensory breaks into our daily lives.
Take away:
We often think rest comes simply from sleeping, but that's just one part of the equation. Sleep is only one type of rest, and it’s considered passive. In reality, there are seven different types of rest we need to fully recharge. If you’re not feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep, it might be because you're missing out on these other essential types of rest. Incorporating these 7 types of rest into daily life can significantly improve well-being. Are you getting enough of them?
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