How to Overcome Exhaustion by Practicing the 7 Types of Rest to Balance Your Energy

I'll tell you a secret: sleeping, taking breaks and resting are not the same

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By Daniel Colombo

I tell you a secret: sleeping, taking breaks and resting are not the same. It is scientifically proven that you can close your eyes and stay in bed for many hours, and also wake up physically and mentally exhausted. It is that the accelerated and vertiginous pace of today’s world sometimes leads to extreme demands in order to perform and obtain results; and that tension does not allow you to recover.

I am convinced that the most important thing a person can do for their health is to take time and have a quality rest. Yet many struggle to do so, be it out of guilt, insecurity, fear of the unknown, or for any other reason, and so people postpone the rest they need.

The 7 Types of Rest

I have found that it is not always easy to know what is the best type of rest for the body, mind and spirit. To know it, it is necessary to recognize the difference between the seven types of rest, and that each serves a different purpose.

• Read: Learn to take breaks

We have always been told that you have to sleep at least between 7 and 8 hours a day to replenish energy; However, this is not the only way to rest, because, as you will see, we can do it with our eyes open.

Based on the research of Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith presented in her Ted talks and on CNN , let’s review the 7 types of rest so that, combining them, you get the maximum energy benefit in your favor:

First Type: Physical Rest

Within this category we find two forms: passive or active.

Passive physical rest consists of sleeping and napping. The active one, doing activities such as yoga, mindfulness, stretching, meditation, reiki, massages, among other disciplines.

Second Type: Mental Rest

Mental rest is taking moments to unplug the mind as much as possible. You will achieve this by changing your focus, abandoning tasks, worries and problems momentarily.

For example, the stresses of the workday creep like a heavy backpack in and out of the workday; And that is why, despite sleeping or taking breaks at home, you still feel tired and do not fully recover.

The suggestion is that you take breaks of at least 20 minutes every 2 hours in the work day, and if you do it virtually, every hour and a quarter approximately. Move your body, stretch, take a little walk, and incorporate a healthy habit, such as always having a notebook at hand to dump the ideas that come to mind -work or personal issues-, to free the head and lower it to a system of organization.

If possible, do not divert your mental rest into occupying your mind with something else, such as watching television, as you will put it back to work.

Third Type: Sensory Rest

Although it is not possible to turn off the senses with which we connect with the world, you can reduce the brightness of an environment, screens such as cell phones, computers or the noises that interrupt and exhaust.

To do this, in addition to taking the pauses suggested above, you can close your eyes for a minute and breathe deeply, taking air through your nose and slowly releasing through your mouth. Do it repeatedly throughout the day.

You could also consciously disconnect so many screens, and use only one at a time; and set a deadline in which you will silence the cell phone. This will allow you to have intentional moments of sensory deprivation.

Fourth Type: Creative Rest

Fundamental in any process of innovation and generating ideas, it is stimulated by awakening curiosity, critical thinking and the appreciation of situations from different perspectives in order to better evaluate them. It also occurs when you need to process information, you are short of inspiration and you need to get out of the usual environment to clarify yourself.

To get creative rest, you can take breaks to enjoy the outdoors, walk aimlessly, enjoy art in all its forms, read, listen to music, adapt your workspace to create a favorable climate, use aromas and view images of memories. gratos of your life.

All these small actions contribute to reposition your mind and stimulate the creativity that we all have. This way you will feel that there is a state of flowing with situations, instead of forcing them (which is precisely what depletes energy).

Fifth Type: Emotional Rest

Attachment to what is happening, seeking approval, and being aware of the external gaze are part of the exhaustion that many people suffer.

Emotional rest is about starting to work internally on self-awareness to get to know yourself better, explore and process the challenging aspects of your current and past life, and be able to focus on building and strengthening a more balanced feeling and being.

A fundamental step is learning to say no, and to avoid wanting to satisfy everyone. It is not about selfishness, but about healthy self-esteem.

By abandoning what weighs on you from the past, which is sometimes measured in tons of guilt and resentment, pain and anguish, you will feel a greater inner strength and a lightness to face situations, which will facilitate a better rest by developing your emotional intelligence to the maximum .

Sixth Type: Social Rest

Linked with the previous type, social rest implies being able to become aware of the relationships that you maintain and that exhaust you, versus those that nourish you and help you grow. We also include here your link to social networks, which can often become dependent.

Surrounding yourself with positive, understanding people, with whom you can share your goals, desires and your way of being with authenticity and without prejudice, is a first step to begin to rest in this way.

Also, give yourself priority in choosing what things you want to do and which ones you will say no to according to how you honestly feel. This implies avoiding those unnecessary social obligations or that you have no genuine interest or desire, to focus on living experiences in accordance with what you do want to do.

With social media, determine specific times in the day where you will connect to watch. There are some applications on the phones that allow you to configure rest hours for apps.

Seventh Type: Spiritual Rest

We come to the moment of the soul spa. This instance of rest allows you to connect with something higher, beyond your physical body and mind. A deep space with you, with acceptance, forgiveness for your mistakes, and focused on a greater purpose to guide you.

The state of spiritual rest can be achieved, among other ways, by doing service to someone in need, connecting with a volunteer task or helping with awareness. That energy charges your batteries and helps balance daily wear and tear. As you may have ever experienced, doing so fills your soul.

Although it may seem like you don’t have time to rest more, researchers have found that people who do it regularly are happier and have more vitality. Practice these types of breaks and you can do it too.

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