There are 7 types of rest – are you getting all of them?

Last week we shared a list of tips on improving your sleep quality. This is an important aspect to pay attention to, since it has a big impact on our ability to function in a healthy way. But have you ever had a full night’s sleep and woke up still feeling tired? This might be the result of an overall rest deficit.

Sleep is only one part of replenishing our energy. If you have been doing your best to get more sleep and still experience a lack of energy, passion and overall fatigue, there might be a rest deficit in some other area of your life that needs attention.

Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith identified 7 areas of rest that we need to consider and address if we are to function at our best and beat the stress:

#1 Physical rest

Sleep is a form of passive rest, which we obviously need. But we can replenish our physical energy in a more active way as well: yoga, stretching and massage therapy are all beneficial ways of recovery that promote blood circulation in the body.

#2 Mental rest

There is always a lot to think about, to keep in mind and to remember. This causes a mental deficit that cannot be fully restored by sleep, as it often leads to racing and recurring thoughts when we try to switch off. Schedule regular intervals during your day where you can take short mental breaks (between meetings for example) and take a short walk or do something that doesn’t require any thinking. Another tip Dr Dalton-Smith shares is to keep a notebook at hand where you can write down recurring thoughts. Think of it as closing the unnecessary tabs on your browser that slow down your processing power.

#3 Sensory rest

Bright lights, screens, background noise and multiple conversations happening at once place a lot of strain on our senses and can leave us feeling totally spent. The best way to remedy this deficit is to find time during your day to spend in quiet (easier said than done), with your eyes closed and away from screens that bombard you with information. You can combine this with the mental rest techniques mentioned in the previous point.

#4 Creative rest

If your role requires a high level of problem solving and innovative ways of thinking this type of rest is very important. Take in nature, look at art you find inspiring or listen to your favourite music to fill your creative tank. Spending time in a beautiful room will have the same effect, so look for ways to make your workspace more visually pleasing.

#5 Emotional rest

If you struggle to say no, are often required to be of service to others and feel unappreciated and taken advantage of – you need emotional rest. It might be time to have some truthful conversations where you can share your true feelings. Cut back on the people-pleasing at your own expense and be more authentic about how you feel.

#6 Social rest

This aspect is very closely related to the previous point and the deficit occurs when we struggle to differentiate between the relationships that exhaust us and those that build us up. To experience more social rest, surround yourself with optimistic, supportive people. When most of your interactions take place virtually, turn on the camera and really pay attention to the person you are talking too. Prioritize in-person interaction and not just the digital kind as much as you can.

#7 Spiritual rest

You will feel a need for spiritual rest when you start to question the reason you get up in the morning. Connect to something bigger than yourself (beyond the physical and mental), pray, think about and life from a place of purpose, find the place you belong and connect deeply with those around you and your community.

The Takeaway

Rest and sleep are not the same thing. If you are struggling for energy and feel exhausted, even though you are getting enough sleep, you might have a deficit in one or more of these areas of rest. Go through them again and identify where you need to apply some effort to refill your energy and reawaken your passion.

As we wrap up…

Taking these tough times into consideration and with the knowledge that people are under severe pressure, PurposeWorks has developed a series of workshops aimed at building resilience, enhancing emotional intelligence, managing and dealing with burnout and focusing on the importance of selfcare. Our aim is to provide practical, actionable advice, informed by the science of Positive Psychology in an accessible and affordable format.

These workshops are aimed at individuals, teams and organisations of all sizes. Please contact us at hello@purposeworks.co.za for more information on scheduling and pricing options.

At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.