Are you always tired even after sleeping plenty? Most of us think that the reason for our tiredness is lack of enough sleep, it is not! The real reason is most likely a rest deficit! What a rest deficit? Yes, there are 7 types of rest deficits that you may be ignoring and are not even aware of. If you are waking up tired every morning with no energy, it is time to focus on getting 7 types of rest. When you ignore these different types of rest, you become a victim of a rest deficit that is difficult to spot. So, address these rest deficits by taking them into cognisance, rejuvenating yourself and doing away with the constant feeling of tiredness.
What causes a rest deficit?
A fast-paced lifestyle, do it all in one-day attitude, lack of mindfulness and shortage of time cause a rest deficit. We want to do it all in one day and make our day productive while ignoring the types of rest our body needs. We often juggle too many things perpetuated by a culture glorifying achievement and efficiency. And it all boils down to stress accumulation that doesnโt seem to go with sleep. This multitasking we do as a part of our daily lives has a deep impact on our well being. While we feel more productive on the face of it, it has a long-term repercussion on our overall physical and mental health.ย
We often talk about mindfulness, but we practice the opposite. The result is we end up feeling exhausted and wake up tired after eight hours of sleep. The problem is that this weariness starts small but turns chronic in the long run. So how do we cope with this lack of energy? Most of us try to fix this by catching up with an extended sleeping time, but to no avail. And we still wake up exhausted and weak!ย
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What is difference between sleep and rest?
Many people confuse between sleep and rest and use both the terms interchangeably. Sleep and rest are two different things, and most of us commonly confuse between the two While both sleep and rest lead to the same outcomes, they are different. Both sleep and rest reduce fatigue and stress. Sleep is a form of rest and gives us physical and mental rest. Rest is a broader concept than sleep. And there are 7 different types of rest-physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, creative, social and sensory rest that you need to address to take care of your overall well-being.
Many of us often sleep more than required to overcome the unexplained tiredness. But it doesnโt help much. We comfortably slide into our beds and think we have rested because we have taken good sleep. But in reality, it is not the truth. We often miss out or overlook the other kind of rest our bodies desperately need, and it leads to attention or rests deficits. So, do not fool yourself into believing that sleep is an answer to all the rest deficit and be informed of the true power of rest.
7 Types of rest that everyone needs!
Rest should resonate in 7 key aspects of our lives. Let us see how we can feel rested and recharged again by addressing the 7 types of rest our bodies need:
1. Physical Rest
A physical rest can be of two types- passive rest and active rest. Passive physical rest involves sleep. Active rest involves relaxation therapies like yoga, spa, massage, or stretching that improve our flexibility and blood circulation and help usย relax and unwind.ย
2. Mental Rest
If you do not have a peaceful mind, you will find it difficult to concentrate on work or find it difficult to sleep at night. Such people may experience anxiety, lack of clarity in thoughts, and often struggle with sleep disorders. It indicates a clear-cut rest deficit.
To fix the rest deficit, you should take small breaks between your work. Make yourself happy and relaxed by going for a walk or listening to music. The idea is to put your mind at rest and let it calm down. Avoid emotion-heavy or emotionally taxing thoughts at night. Also, avoid any negative thoughts that may act as a barrier between you and rest. One thing that works for me is that I leave up the things which bother me for the morning. And it helps me have a proper mental rest.
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3. Sensory Restย
Our senses are often overwhelmed by this over-stimulating world that exposes us to endless screen lights, radiations, bright lights, traffic noise, office conversations, zoom meetings, mobile, videos, TV, and what not! One way to counter it is by reducing screen time, dimming screen resolutions, and avoiding unnecessary zoom calls. A small tip is to attain sensory rest is to unplug from gadgets and noisy places whenever possible. Taking up a completeย digital detoxย once in a while always works.ย ย
4. Creative Rest
Do you remember your last visit to splendid mountains or serene nature trails orย Van Gogh Museumย for satisfying your quest for art? Well, this is what your creative rest looks like! And yes, everyone needs it. You can give yourself creative rest by going to the park or watching the seagulls chirping around the creek. Do not just focus on the beauty of the outdoors, but the indoors too. The idea is to get creative rest from wherever possible. I haveย reorganized my home to become a sanctuary of peaceย and art, and it imparts me much of my creative rest. All you need is to find your creative pursuit, indulge in it, and enjoy it.ย
5. Emotional Rest
All of us certainly need some emotional rest. It means that we need to find time for ourselves first before anything else. We need toย put ourselves first before others, even if it means saying no! You need to find time and space to express your true feelings and stop pleasing others. To make the most of your emotional rest, you need toย stay true to yourself firstย and be in touch with your innermost self to be authentic. It also means saying no to others when you do not want to say yes. When you follow the above self-love practices, it heals you emotionally and eventually put you on an emotional rest. When you manifest that you are okay and all will be okay!
6. Social Rest
If you are suffering from an emotional rest deficit, chances are you are also high on social rest deficit. While socializing can be fun, over socialization can be exhausting and overwhelming. If you ask me, my main deficit is the social rest deficit. I figured this out only during the lockdown time that made me distinguish between relationships that rejuvenate us from that drain us. As you build a life with people who rejuvenate you and prune people who drain you, you start to rest socially. To make the most of social rest, take some time off from people who are really not required and surround yourself with positive people,ย
As they say that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, you better hold on to such people in life and flourishย positive relationships. Even if your association is virtual, it shall be more fulfilling, engaging, and meaningful. So, limit your exposure toย energy vampiresย & toxic people and see yourself resting to nirvana.ย
7. Spiritual Rest
Everyone needs some spiritual rest too, and it involves moving beyond the mental and physical state of being to finding higher meaning in life and a purpose. You can attain it by practising your religion, offering prayers, charity or spending time with the underprivileged. The idea is to seek your sense of purpose and something that keeps you moving in life.ย
Practisingย gratitudeย and meditation helps you reduce your spiritual rest deficit. The idea is to engage in something greater than yourself and attain spiritual benevolence.ย
Therefore, we see that sleep is our first resort to exhaustion. But it might not help always to attain the true rest we are looking for. Sleep alone is not sufficient to make us feel at ease, relax and unwind completely. Complete rest is a function of all the above seven types of rest, and we should focus on getting the right type of rest we need.ย
PS: Fatigue or chronic tiredness can also be associated with some underlying medical conditions. In such cases, your condition might need the help of an expert. Consult your doctor or physician if your rest is persisting beyond a point.ย
Share this article with someone in your life who often feels tired even after sleeping plenty and needs to recharge! If you like this post, share your thoughts in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.ย
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