The Seven Types of Rest Every Person Needs

In recognition of National Stress Awareness Day, we’re delighted to share this insightful piece from Dr Tess Browne, a Clinical Psychologist and wellbeing expert specialising in stress management, burnout recovery and emotional resilience. In this article, she explores the seven types of rest your body and mind truly need.

At Louise Thomas Skincare, we believe that skin health begins with whole-body wellbeing, and rest plays a vital role in that balance.

When you’re feeling tired, burnt out or lacking in energy, what’s the first thing you tend to think?

“I need more sleep.”

Sleep is often touted as the answer to all our fatigue-related problems. Whilst good quality sleep is important, and improving sleep hygiene does have huge benefits for our physical and mental health, simply aiming for more sleep is not enough to manage the impact of stress and burnout.
Sleep is only one aspect of rest and, on its own, can’t restore us to the point that we feel fully rested.

Benefits of rest: why invest in rest beyond sleep?

Sleep is an immersive and vital experience for our physical and mental health and, ultimately, for our survival. But why invest beyond that? What can alternative forms of rest offer us and why should we prioritise rest in our lives?

• Greater presence and connection

• Reduced stress

• Prevention of burnout

• Activation of relaxation response (lower heart rate, reduced blood pressure, improved oxygen consumption)

• Alleviation of symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia

• Increased productivity

• Promotion of long-term wellbeing

• Restored energy and emotional balance

• Greater resilience to tackle life’s challenges

• Cognitive rejuvenation and creativity

The seven types of rest

According to Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are seven key types of rest, each serving a unique purpose in helping us feel refreshed, renewed and restored.

Let’s explore what each of these types of rest can look like, and how you can integrate them into your own life: 

01 | Physical Rest

Physical rest is all about allowing your body to recover physically from the demands of an often-hectic life. Passive physical rest does include those stereotypical restful activities: sleep and napping. But we also need active physical rest; restorative activities like yoga, stretching, gentle walking and massage therapy. These can help to improve the body’s circulation and flexibility, and boost our energy levels.

02 | Mental Rest

If your mind is often constantly whirring throughout the day: thinking about work, life and family admin, worrying about what’s been and what’s to come, and busy decision-making and problem solving, there’s a good chance you’ll be craving some mental rest. It’s your opportunity to switch off, slow down and recover - not once in a while, but at regular intervals throughout the day. To achieve this, schedule short breaks throughout your day; let your mind wander, reflect and process. Mindfulness practices, like meditation or mindful eating or walking, can also help to give your mind a break from periods of relentless activity. If you struggle with a busy mind at night, keep a notepad by your bed and jot down any nagging thoughts that are keeping you awake. 

03 | Emotional Rest

According to Saundra, emotional rest means “having the time and space to freely express your feelings and cut back on people-pleasing.” Constantly covering up how you truly feel, prioritising others’ needs and feelings over your own, and bottling up your emotions is exhausting! To enhance your emotional rest, aim to express your feelings honestly, separate yourself from emotionally draining situations and seek support as and when you need it. Afford yourself a little emotional peace, and you’ll feel more rested all round. 

04 | Sensory Rest

Bright artificial lights, endless background noise, screens everywhere - is it any wonder our senses frequently feel overwhelmed in the modern world?! Taking a sensory rest involves intentionally unplugging from all of this to give our senses a break every once in a while. You might choose to turn off your devices and have some screen-free time every evening. Or you could close your eyes or lower your gaze, for a few minutes at a time throughout the day to reduce the impact of overstimulating visuals.  

05 | Creative Rest

The perfect way to reignite your creativity, creative rest is especially important for anyone who needs to problem solve or innovate on a regular basis … but also key to reawakening the awe, wonder and joy inside each of us. Seek out the beauty around you by immersing yourself in nature, art or music - whatever works to ignite that creative spark for you! 

06 | Social Rest

Social rest is not about taking a break from all social interactions. Instead, social rest calls on us to surround ourselves with relationships that enrich us and lift us up, whilst stepping away from people who exhaust and drain us. Seek to build fulfilling positive relationships with those who support you, and remain engaged and present for those social interactions. 

07 | Spiritual Rest 

Spiritual rest involves finding meaning and purpose beyond the routines and rituals of everyday life. Connect to something that’s greater than yourself (such as mediation, prayer or community involvement) for fresh perspectives on life, alongside a sense of calm and acceptance. 

Incorporating rest into your life

Building rest into your daily routine doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Small, intentional practices can make a huge difference to energy, productivity and wellbeing.

Here are some tips:

⋒ Start Small - Don’t try to do it all at once! Think about which type of rest you might need to prioritise first and find a small, simple way to incorporate it into your day. You can build up from here. 

⋒ Experiment - What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Your needs, and the practices that will leave you feeling most rested and restored are unique - experiment and embrace what makes you feel best. 

⋒ Be Intentional - Pay attention to what your mind and body needs in the moment; this might not be consistent from one day to the next. If you’re feeling overstimulated, it’s likely you need to focus on sensory rest. If you’ve been scrolling through content that doesn’t make you feel good, a positive social boost might help. 

⋒ Commit - Rest isn’t going to happen by chance if you don’t make time for it. Just as you would schedule appointments and meetings in your diary, set aside time for rest … and protect it!

⋒ Set Boundaries - Committing to rest might mean saying no to things every now and then. If you’re experiencing sensory overwhelm, you might choose to say no to going to the cinema. If you identify a need to boost social rest, you might choose to avoid social situations you anticipate will leave you feeling depleted. 

⋒ Stay Motivated - Remember WHY prioritising rest is important to you. Are you struggling with constant burnout? Are you stuck in a creative rut? Do you find yourself feeling constantly exhausted? Holding on to your why will help you to stay grounded, focused and committed to making time for rest. 

⋒ Mix and Match - Recognising that there are seven types of rest, doesn’t mean having to do seven different restful activities every day. There are many practices that will give you rest and relief in multiple areas at once. For example, taking a gentle stroll in nature can give you a sensory break, allow for creative rest, and promote active physical rest. 

⋒ Remain Flexible - Your needs for rest are likely to change over time. Stay open and curious to adapting and adopting new restful practices as needed. 

⋒ Work Together - Share what you have learnt about rest with your friends and family, and invite those close to you to engage in restful practices together. It can be easier to stick to and embrace new routines when your whole household or friendship circle are in it together! 

Rest is essential for restoration, boosted energy and preventing burnout. Explore your own needs, and find what practices help you feel physically, mentally and emotionally well.
Taking time to rest doesn’t just support your min, it’s key to your skin’s health and resilience too.

Further support

If you’d like to explore more about managing stress and burnout, visit Dr Tess Browne’s website for her full range of resources and articles.

This article was written by Dr Tess Browne, Clinical Psychologist.