I’m Tired - Help!
By: Emily Beck
Tired is a word that can mean so many things. We use this word to mean in need of sleep, finished exercising, or even annoyed with a situation (i.e. “I’m tired of this”). You can be multiple kinds of tired at once, and they often overlap. We can be emotionally, spiritually, or physically tired.
When someone says that they are tired, the advice is usually to rest. However, rest can look different depending on what kind of tiredness you are experiencing. If you are resting for a kind of tiredness that you are not feeling, the feeling will not go away. Seems pretty straightforward!
When you think of rest, you probably think about lying down. Maybe doing something mindless like watching TV. Did you know that there are actually 7 different types of rest? Most of them don’t involve lying down at all, and may not be something you even would consider restful at first.
So, what are the different types of rest that we need?
Physical rest - this is what we typically think of when we talk about rest. Sleeping, lying down, sitting, recovering from exercise or a lack of sleep.
Mental Rest - Giving your brain a break. This could mean meditation or mindfulness, but it could also mean taking breaks during the work or school day to think about something unrelated.
Emotional Rest - This means giving yourself a chance to feel your emotions, and also having compassion for yourself when you have expended a lot of emotional energy. This could mean talking about your feelings, crying when you need to, laughing at a joke, or going to therapy!
Sensory Rest - Giving your senses a break or getting sensory needs met. This could mean using a lamp instead of overhead lights, using a weighted blanket, changing out of uncomfortable clothing or shoes, or turning off your electronics and going outside
Creative Rest - Giving yourself some time to be creative. This could mean doing something artistic, listening to music, dancing, or even having a discussion about something that gets your creative juices flowing.
Social Rest - This can be done in a couple of different ways, depending on where you draw energy. For extroverted people, who draw energy from being around others, this could mean going out and doing something social. For introverted people who recharge by being alone, this could mean spending time by themselves. This could also mean spending time around people who bring you feelings of calm and who do not require a lot of mental and emotional energy to engage with.
Spiritual Rest - Engaging with your spiritual needs. This could mean prayer, going to a religious service, reading a religious or spiritual text, or thinking or talking about your spiritual or religious beliefs.
If you are not resting for the type of tiredness you are feeling, you will not feel more energized afterward. Consider this- if you are feeling mentally drained from a long day at work, going out with friends, even friends with whom you are very comfortable, could be exhausting. However, if you are exhausted from a workout, engaging in a creative pursuit may be the last thing you want to do!
How do I know what kind of rest I need?
The important thing to remember is that different types of tiredness don’t always feel different. Feeling emotionally tired can feel similar to feeling spiritually tired. This can feel very confusing at first! So give this a try.
Notice when you don’t feel rested. If you are engaging in a different kind of rest than what you need, you won’t feel rested.
Try something else - If you aren’t feeling rested, try to engage in a different type of rest altogether. For example, needing sensory rest won’t be fixed by taking a nap, while needing physical rest won’t be fixed by turning off your electronic devices.
Pay attention to what types of rest are rejuvenating - Make a list of what gives you energy, and try those things when you are feeling worn down.
Have compassion for yourself - Beating ourselves up about being tired is sure to cause other types of exhaustion, and will just make us feel worse than we already do. Instead, try saying to yourself “This is not the rest I need right now” and try something different.
Be creative - Whatever works for you is what you should do! No two people respond exactly the same way to everything, so what works for someone else may not work for you, and that is ok!
This takes practice, and some activities may provide you with multiple types of rest! The important thing is to figure out what works best for you, and how you can best rest your body, mind, and spirit.
Interested in learning more about how you can rest most effectively and get to know yourself better? Call us today at 217-203-2008 and start promoting peace from within.
Resources:
https://www.calm.com/blog/7-types-of-rest
https://mindfulhealthsolutions.com/embrace-these-7-types-of-rest/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-different-kind-of-therapy/202212/the-7-kinds-of-rest-you-need-to-actually-feel-rejuvenated