There Are 7 Types of Rest—Here’s How to Know Which One You Need

If you’ve ever found yourself in one of those slumps where, despite getting eight hours of sleep a night, you still find yourself absolutely drained, know that you’re not alone. Though we often view sleep as the be-all end-all for fixing exhaustion, it’s actually just one type of rest. In fact, what’s keeping you from feeling fully restored may actually be a different type of rest deficit, according to Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, internal medicine physician and author of Sacred Rest.

As a society, we’re conditioned to think that sleeping is synonymous with resting (which, unsurprisingly, isn’t exactly helping burnout culture). That’s why it’s crucial to take a moment to differentiate between the different forms of rest, says Dr. Dalton-Smith, who believes there are actually seven types of rest—and they’re all vital to our health. “We put so much emphasis on sleep, which is a type of rest, but it’s not the only type of rest,” she says, naming creative, social, emotional rest, and “other rest types you cannot even get while sleeping” (more on these below).

If you have a creative rest deficit, or an emotional rest deficit, “you can sleep for eight hours every night for the rest of your life and still wake up every day exhausted and not feeling rested," says Dr. Dalton-Smith says. So to find out more about the different types of rest—and discover which kind of rest you may need to prioritize—read on. 

Physical rest

What is physical rest?

Dalton-Smith defines physical rest as rest “focusing on your physical body, your muscles, your circulation, and your lymphatic system.”

Who needs physical rest?

“Anyone who uses their body as part of their daily activities can need physical rest,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith—which, fyi, is pretty much all of us to some extent. But if you’re someone with an especially demanding physical job, like someone who works in construction or works on their feet all day in a customer service job, you may find yourself in a physical rest deficit. 

However, those with office jobs and other sedentary sit-down gigs may also need physical rest. As Dr. Dalton-Smith explains, bodies can get into “static states” with sedentary lifestyles that can make them feel “more tight, tense, and uncomfortable.”

How to tell if you need to prioritize physical rest

Dr. Dalton-Smith says that you may need to prioritize physical rest if you have pain, such as a tight neck, tight muscles, back pain, discomfort in your legs and feet, and/or general stiffness. Basically, listen to your body. If it’s telling you to take a step back, rest, and recharge, it’s telling you for a reason. 

How to achieve physical rest

“There are various ways you can achieve [physical rest],” Dr. Dalton-Smith says. You can try taking a leisurely walk to improve circulation, doing yoga or stretching to improve muscles, or even having your workstation evaluated for better ergonomics, she suggests. 

Mental rest

What is mental rest?

“Mental rest is the ability to clear your mind, to focus, to concentrate, and to get to a place where your mind isn’t jumbled or over-processing,” Dr. Dalton-Smith explains.

Who needs mental rest?

Over-thinkers and over-analyzers who are often making decisions throughout their day may find themselves in a mental-rest deficit, says Dr. Dalton-Smith.

How to tell if you need to prioritize mental rest

If you find yourself unable to turn your brain off at the end of the day, are otherwise forgetful, or have a hard time concentrating and focusing, you may need to prioritize mental rest, Dr. Dalton-Smith says. Another sign: If no matter how tired you are, you still find it difficult to fall asleep—that’s a sign you might need to be intentional about your mental rest.

How to achieve mental rest

Mindfulness practices may be especially helpful for those with a mental-rest deficit, Dr. Dalton-Smith says. And though meditation-based practices and meditation apps are still beneficial, mindfulness practices that aren’t just meditation can be especially helpful here, such as mindfulness while jogging, she says. In jogging, “you’re clearing your thoughts, and you’re focusing on your breathing, your cadence, and your pacing,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith, nothing that it can be helpful for anyone who might otherwise struggle with traditional mindfulness practices. 

Doing a “brain dump” can also be helpful, Dr. Dalton-Smith says. To do a brain dump, jot down your thoughts on paper before bed (we’re talking real paper here, not your phone), so you can “dump the information out of your brain and onto something concrete,” she says. The act of writing down your feelings, often called vent writing, can help your brain feel more at ease by the end of it.

Spiritual rest

What is spiritual rest?

“Spiritual rest is the type of restoration that occurs when you have a sense of belonging [and feeling] as if your life has purpose,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith. Yes, that can sound a bit daunting and overwhelming, but to put it into other words, “it’s the restorative process many people experience when they do good for somebody else,” she says. 

Who needs spiritual rest?

You might need this kind of rest if you feel like you or your work is purposeless, doesn’t make a big impact, or isn’t making a difference, Dr. Dalton-Smith explains. Note: These sentiments don’t need to be “true” (and likely aren’t), but can signal that your spiritual rest is running on empty.

How to tell if you need to prioritize spiritual rest?

If you find yourself ruminating on the meaning of life, then you definitely need some spiritual rest. It’s great to think critically about your life’s purpose and how you can make a difference in your community, but if it’s weighing on you—or bringing down your mood and energy—you may need to prioritize spiritual rest, Dr. Dalton-Smith says.

How to achieve spiritual rest

Achieving spiritual rest may look different for everyone based on their faith or religious systems, says Dr. Dalton-Smith. However, aside from faith-based systems, spiritual rest can also look like volunteerism, or getting involved in a charitable cause or organization you really believe in. It can also be about being “very intentional about appreciating other people and recognizing others, and bringing empathy and community into certain settings,” she adds.

Emotional rest

What is emotional rest?

Emotional rest can go hand-in-hand with transparency, vulnerability, and speaking your mind. “Emotional rest is experienced when you have the liberty and the freedom to express how you’re feeling, without censoring it in any way,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith.

Who needs emotional rest?

Dr. Dalton-Smith says that healthcare workers, teachers, frontline workers, those in customer service, and anyone else with a job that might require them to suppress their emotions for the sake of professionalism may need to focus on emotional rest. People in these professions use a ton of emotional energy each day, and are also on the receiving end of others' emotional energy, so they may not be able to express how they’re truly feeling during the day.

How to tell if you need to prioritize emotional rest?

If you start feeling depressive, anxious, shut off (i.e., not being able to fully express yourself), or you increasingly feel that people are taking advantage of you, you may need to prioritize emotional rest, says Dr. Dalton-Smith. 

Similarly, if you find that you’re more likely to bend to others’ wills to people-please (even in situations where it’s not required), you might be in an emotional rest deficit, Dr. Dalton-Smith adds.

How to achieve emotional rest?

Dr. Dalton-Smith suggests talking with trusted friends, confidants, therapists, counselors, or anybody that you feel safe to speak earnestly with. The goal is to be able to “share your emotions authentically and in a way where you don’t feel judged,” she explains.

If you’re burned out from people and would rather achieve emotional rest alone, Dr. Dalton-Smith also notes that journaling may be a good way to achieve emotional rest. Journal your thoughts and feelings down in a way where you’re not analyzing your feelings, just noting them, she says, so that “you can process them without having to judge.”

Social rest

What is social rest?

“Social rest is the rest we experience when we are around ‘life-giving’ people,” Dr. Dalton-Smith says. Basically, when your energy is matched and supported by another person’s energy. Whereas emotional rest is about you freely expressing yourself, regardless of who you’re with, social rest is about being around people who match our own energy outputs and inputs. Think: looking in a mirror vs. speaking to a crowd.

Who needs social rest?

If you tend to be the “giver” in relationships, you’re probably in need of social rest. These people may look like mothers, caregivers, coaches, people who spend a lot of time with clients, and anyone else who is otherwise in regular “giving” mode.

How to tell if you need to prioritize social rest

If you feel like you can’t step away because someone needs you all the time, or if you find that your closest relationships tend to drain you, you might be in a social rest deficit, Dr. Dalton-Smith says. Though these relationships may be filled with love, “we have to make sure they don’t become one-sided,” she says, “and that we are having moments within those relationships where we are on the receiving end.”

How to achieve social rest

There are a few ways to achieve social rest, Dalton-Smith says. For one, you can intentionally take time to enjoy your relationship without the giving and taking. For romantic partners, this might look like just talking with one another and experiencing each other the way you did when you first met: engaging in eye contact, trying to solve problems together, or just bonding.

If you’re in need of social rest among friends, Dr. Dalton-Smith suggests just going out and doing something fun without any specific purpose in mind, other than being around people who make you feel good. Enjoy each other’s company without worrying about taking care of other people's needs.

Sensory rest

What is sensory rest?

“Sensory rest is looking at the sensory input around you and evaluating the effect that it has on you,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith. This might mean critically evaluating all the lights you have on in your house, the ambient noise of your environment, or even just taking a peek at your screen time to see if there’s any way you can dial it back.

Who needs sensory rest?

According to Dr. Dalton-Smith, you may need sensory rest if you’re a person who lives a very sensory-rich life, is surrounded by lights and sounds, is on their gadgets all the time, or is otherwise bombarded with noise. She also adds that people who work in tech fields or with a lot of screens may often find themselves in sensory-rest deficits.

How to tell if you need to prioritize sensory rest

There’s no clear-cut answer (everyone’s tolerance levels are different), but in general, “a person with sensory-rest deficit tends to be very, very jumpy,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith. So, if you find yourself jumpier than usual or fidgeting a lot, you may be in a sensory rest deficit.

How to achieve sensory rest

A few favorites of Dr. Dalton-Smith’s include noise-canceling headphones, taking a break during work to block out noise, or even visiting a sensory deprivation tank to experiment and see what helps the most with making you feel sensorially rested. Even small gestures, such as dimming the lights or adjusting the notification frequency of your phone, may help with sensory rest.

Creative rest

What is creative rest?

“Creative rest is the rest we experience when we appreciate beauty and allow that beauty to awaken inside of us, and to unlock our creative flow and innovation,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith.

Who needs creative rest?

Dr. Dalton-Smith explains that those who work in creative fields or use creative energy in their day-to-day work, such as graphic designers, may be especially prone to needing creative rest and recharging. The arts aside, she also mentions people who work as consultants may need creative rest, since their job “requires them to look at different pieces of information and come up with something innovative to solve the problem," says Dr. Dalton-Smith. 

How to tell if you need to prioritize creative rest

“If you start feeling like you have a hard time brainstorming, or are finding it very difficult to think out of the box, or are losing the passion for the work you do, chances are you need your inspiration revived,” Dr. Dalton-Smith says.

How to achieve creative rest?

“Some of the research is showing that people can experience creative rest in nature, whether that be at the ocean, the mountains, the beach, or wherever,” Dr. Dalton-Smith says. Besides going to a different physical location, you might also try to revive your inspiration through music, looking at art, architecture, theater, or dance, she adds. “Whenever you’re able to look at something with childlike awe and wonder, it unlocks your own inspiration and creativity."