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Yeah, yeah, you know you need rest
You’ve heard it a million times, you need to get more sleep. But, you may only be thinking about physical sleep. You may already know that The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. However, there are other types of rest too. If you are an empath, or highly sensitive person, especially, you may need even more rest than the average person. We all require rest from our overly stimulating environments.
Four more types of rest you need to fit into your schedule
Another type of rest you need to make sure you get, is mental rest. Take a break from difficult tasks, or learning opportunities, periodically. Imagine you are sitting in a large conference, being trained to do your job more effectively. You love your job, and the education you are receiving, but in order to let all that knowledge sink in, you need to take breaks every now and then to process. Or, imagine that you have client appointments set up for one hour each, for the next four hours. By the time you get to the fourth appointment, you are exhausted and can hardly think clearly. They are not getting your best ideas. I was an elementary teacher for many years. We hardly got any breaks throughout the day. Children were pulling at me all day, clamoring for my attention. When I did have a break, I was often planning lessons with my coworkers. You can imagine that by the time I got in my car to go home, I was mentally exhausted. I usually drove home in silence, giving my mind a much-needed break, preparing for when my own children needed my attention.
A second type of rest to pay attention to is sensory rest. Again, as a teacher, I listened to voices all day long. It was often loud in the cafeteria or on the playground. Dismissal was another time when the kids could barely contain their excitement to go home and play. They finally got a chance to talk and let loose during these times. Add the sounds of the school buses, cars, and street traffic. I craved silence afterwards, no music, no podcasts, just quiet. I feel bad for my own children, because they couldn’t wait to tell me about their day, or a problem they needed my help with. They were excited to be home and let loose a little too. They had been confined to a classroom, required to be silent much of the day. I’m sure having a mother that was tired of noise was a little hard on them.
Third, is creative rest. If you are a person that does a lot of scheduling, problem-solving, creating content, etc., you need some time to stop creating, and just take in the creation of others. What things are inspiring to you? Take in the beauty of nature, waterfalls flowing, plants blossoming, birds soaring above, and the majesty of mountain ranges. Visit a nearby museum, with paintings, sculptures, or scientific findings. See a play at your local theater. Seeing the creation around you will ignite your own creative ideas.
The fourth type of rest that is really important to pay attention to is, emotional rest. Whenever you’ve had a stressful day, the boss was critical of your project, your coworker was needy, your husband snapped on his way out the door, your child was arguing, it is time for some self-care. Spend time with a supportive friend that will listen. Take a walk outside in the sunshine. Play with your pet. Meditate or do something that brings you back to a place of emotional balance.
All five types of rest are crucial to your wellbeing
Sleep alone will not give you the rest you need. Make sure you are getting these other four types of rest as well. By doing so, you will feel happier, physically healthier, and you will be able to show up as your best self for those that you love and care about.
If taking time for yourself or putting your needs first is difficult for you, check out my program, You Can Only Change Yourself. It is a 4 week, self-study program with group support along the way. Or, if you are wanting more one on one attention, check out my private coaching here.
