Do you feel tired even after a night or weekend of rest?
Sadly,
It applies to most of us and even more so for empaths and those in the highly sensitive community.
And I recently learned from an illuminating TEDx talk by Dr.
Sandra Dalton Smith,
Author of Sacred Rest,
Recover Your Life,
Renew Your Energy,
Restore Your Sanity.
This is because we have confused the concept of sleep and rest.
Since watching the video,
I have been making a point to rest more during my day and connecting with what type of rest my mind and body truly needs.
It sounds counterintuitive,
But resting has made an incredible difference to my energy levels and more productive in various areas of life that matter most,
Such as family,
Home,
Work,
Relationships.
The first type of rest is physical rest,
Such as sleeping,
Yoga,
Stretching.
The second is mental rest,
Where we take short breaks and you might even find yourself journaling.
The third is creative rest.
This looks like being in nature and creating inviting spaces.
Fourth is sensory rest,
Closing your eyes,
Turning off devices.
This is so important for empaths and those in the highly sensitive community.
I personally have audio sensitivity and sight loss.
Silence is truly bliss.
Emotional rest is the fifth type,
Where we express feelings and limit people-pleasing.
The sixth type of rest to take is social.
It sounds like avoiding people,
But it's not.
It's about interactions that are meaningful,
Supportive,
And positive,
Just like the ones that we see on Insight Timer.
Last but not least,
My favorite,
Spiritual rest,
Meditation,
And acts of service.
These are also types of rest.
These are truly the energy givers of life,
And I'm sure we can all think of one or more occasions where these types of rest rejuvenated us.
My favorite form I've been reaching for recently is creative rest and social rest.
One of the perks of living in Edinburgh,
Where I am currently based,
Is the beautiful nature walks right at our doorstep.
In a world where we put hustle culture and instant gratification on a pedestal,
We need to put the concept of rest at the forefront more than ever.
When we declutter with joy,
We not only release the weight of physical baggage to create an inviting space that recharges us,
It creates new mental space to look into the habits that are holding us back.
For example,
Sleep hygiene and getting truly restorative sleep,
And also optimizing ways to live lighter and in alignment with your ideal life.
When we give ourselves restorative rest,
It cultivates a way of connecting back to our mind and body.
It essentially gives us the permission to say no to what doesn't serve us and reclaim what we truly need and desire.
Remember,
Rest is productive.
When we rest,
We are truly restorative.
Rest is productive.
When we rest,
We go back to the body,
So decisions become inspired action instead of forced action.
Which type of rest does your body need?
If this resonates with you,
Share with us in the comments.
