Rest is often thought of as a state of relaxation where the body can recover.
But have you ever stopped to think about the different types of rest you really need? It’s easy to assume rest is just about sleep or lying down, but true rest is much more than that. Think about it: when was the last time you took a moment to rest your mind, your heart, or even your spirit?
There are many different types of rest, all equally important for living a happy and healthy lifestyle. Rest is not just about the physical; it also includes the mental, social, and spiritual aspects of well-being.
Rest isn’t just about the physical—it’s about your mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Are you giving yourself time to restore in all these areas, or do you only focus on one aspect, like sleep?
November felt much slower compared to the months before. Most weekends, I had no plans and no responsibilities waiting to be tackled. Yet, by Monday mornings, I still felt no more rested or refreshed than I did on Friday evenings, despite spending the entire weekend "resting."
Have you ever experienced this? You think you’re resting, but by the time Monday comes around, you feel like you haven’t gained any energy. Maybe you’re physically resting, but is your mind still racing with worries and plans?
Nothing I did during those weekends was physically demanding, but my mind never stopped racing. I spent hours replaying every ache and pain, my thoughts jumping from schoolwork to upcoming projects, or blog and content ideas. It felt like my mind was always running, processing, or problem-solving. I couldn’t stop mentally revisiting past conversations, analyzing every decision I had made, and worrying about what was ahead. I realized that this mental busyness was just as exhausting as physical labor—it kept my brain on high alert, never allowing me to fully relax. It was as if my brain were running a marathon, complete with a red, white, and blue sweatband, endlessly pounding the pavement of my worries.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like this from time to time. Does your mind ever feel like it’s constantly running in the background, never giving you a moment of quiet? It’s exhausting, isn’t it? This is something I’ve learned the hard way—that mental rest is just as important as physical rest.
Although I spent time talking with friends over the phone during those weekends, the interactions didn’t replenish me the way they sometimes do. Instead of feeling connected and uplifted, I was left just as drained, as if my emotional "cup" had only a few drops poured back into it.
I thought I was giving myself enough room to process and feel big emotions. However, that was all I was doing—feeling those big, heavy feelings without release or resolution, without allowing myself to feel any joy or peace.
Rest has always been a challenge for me to navigate. I’ve always enjoyed staying as busy as possible. But especially now, as I only have a set amount of energy each day—less than the average person my age due to medical issues—I’ve had to rethink how I approach rest. In the chronic illness world, we call it "spoons." Every day, you wake up with a certain number of spoons, or units of energy. The number of spoons someone has depends on many factors, such as what they did the day before, how well and how much they slept, and how much pain they’re in on any given day.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of letting how you feel physically dictate what you do. November was a particularly painful month, with temperatures dropping and my joints becoming stiffer and more painful. Despite the rest I was allowing myself, it wasn’t helping my symptoms.
Have you noticed that sometimes, even when you rest, your body still feels out of balance? It’s frustrating, but this is when we need to remember that rest involves more than just physical stillness.
This all changed when I realized that there’s more to rest than just physical relaxation. Rest isn’t something that can be measured by simply stopping the clock or lying down. It’s an intentional act that requires tuning into the needs of both the body and the mind. I came to understand that rest goes beyond physical stillness. True rest involves quieting the mind, engaging in meaningful interactions, and finding peace in the soul.
I began making small changes to my routine. I started each day by making a long list of things I was grateful for before my feet even hit the floor. This simple practice helped set my mindset to one of gratitude before the day even began. Another change I made was listening to worship music while getting ready for the day—a reminder to myself of who is truly in control and who is the author of my life’s story.
In the end, I learned that rest is much more than just taking a break or lying down. It’s about nourishing all parts of myself—physically, mentally, and emotionally. By shifting my focus to practices that help quiet my mind and feed my spirit, I’ve found a deeper sense of restoration. Though my body may still feel tired at times, I’ve discovered that true rest comes from listening to what I need in each moment and giving myself the space to heal in every aspect of my life. The journey to understanding rest has taught me the importance of balance and the power of taking care of my entire being.
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