Discover the 7 typed of rest
Did you know that there are seven types of rest? And that you may be more in need of one type of rest than the others?
Modern life can be very busy and it’s all too easy to stay busy, juggling work and home commitments without a single moment of mindfulness or relaxation during our day. When things start to feel too much, we all need to have our own personal ways of coping and knowing how to rest can be different for every person and situation.
We all have different needs as individuals so it makes sense that we may need different amounts of the seven types of rest.
The seven types of rest include:
Physical rest
This type of rest can be passive (sleeping and napping) or active such as restorative yoga, stretching and a soothing massage. It’s no surprise that sleep & physical relaxation practices have been consistently shown to lift mood & quality mind. Build time into your evening to settle down properly, perhaps with a good book and a cup of calming Night Time Tea. This includes both chamomile and lavender flowers which have gentle relaxing properties and have been used for centuries to help people feel calm
Mental rest
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious, it’s likely you need to address your levels of mental rest. We are not designed to be ‘on the go’ all the time, always staring at a screen and tethered to emails. Taking frequent, short breaks throughout the day may be more beneficial than fewer, longer breaks. So, 5 minutes every hour can be better than 20 minutes every 2 hours. We like to incorporate Peace Tea with our daily mental rest breaks to really bring a sense of grounding mental calm to these few moments.
Sensory rest
More than ever, we're bombarded with stimuli throughout our days, from screens to constant background noise. Intentional moments of sensory deprivation are useful ways to reground our senses & to stay balanced. Ever heard of a digital detox? This can be taking short breaks of silence during the day where you find a moment or protecting a more structured set of hours in the day or day of the week. Check out our article, 'How to Calm a Busy Mind in an Overstimulated World' for more tips.
Creative rest
If you are feeling uninspired or stuck in life, you may be in need of a period of creative rest to create space for inspiration and to help you feel motivated again. Spending time in nature is a recognized way to reawaken awe and wonder. When we are immersed in the natural world, we often feel more at peace, with an expansion of mental clarity.
Noticing nature in small, everyday ways such as smelling flowers, watching the sunset and sunrise and watching clouds can have powerful effects on our wellbeing. Creative rest is all about making some time and space to find beauty in unexpected places. Beyond finding beauty in nature, we may also find it through the creativity of others. Activities such as looking at paintings, music, theater, dance and even creative cooking can help reawaken our creative spark.
Emotional rest
It’s important we all have the time and space to freely express our feelings, be ourselves and stop people-pleasing. Emotional rest, or relief, is a way to release pent up thoughts & feelings - from journaling to talking with others. Bringing things out (externalizing) eases some of the pressure of keeping things bottled up (internalized) which can become mentally exhausting.
Talking to good friends who are attentive listeners can also help bring about a state of emotional rest. Talking to a trained therapist is always a great option too, for more professional support.
Social rest
We live with a range of social interactions, where some require more effort than others. Introverts know quite well the value of finding personal space to recharge. But even extroverts can find themselves with social fatigue or depletion as well. Reflect on how this is balancing in your life today. Then, have a good look at your diary and see if there are any spaces to create for yourself. Solo traveling or yoga retreats are great options as well for a longer stint of extended space.
Spiritual rest
This type of rest is the most profound, recognizing we all need to feel a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance and purpose in life. To achieve this, we need to engage in something greater than ourselves. Ayurveda sums this up with the concept of ‘dharma’ (right purpose). What have we been put on this planet to do at this time? Take some time to find your sense of purpose, tune into your spiritual beliefs, and perhaps choose a volunteering activity that feels meaningful for you.
Ayurveda, India’s traditional science of well-being, recognizes that we’re all different, with individual wellbeing needs, due to each of us having a unique set of physical, mental and spiritual characteristics, known as our dosha. Once you understand what dosha combination makes up your Ayurveda constitution, you can start keeping them in balance through the right diet, exercise, and lifestyle and maybe even the right cup of Pukka herbal tea.
Take our Dosha Quiz here
Why not make yourself a cup of Chamomile Vanilla & Manuka Honey tea and reflect for a few moments on which type of rest you most need in your life right now? There is no one-size-fits-all approach. So, it’s worth investing a little time into exploring what works for you. If you’re not sure where to start, pick just one type of rest from this list and think of some ways you can start to incorporate it into your routine.