Brain · Mind · Body  ·  Knowledge Bytes for Takeaway

Seven Types
of Rest

Resting involves either doing less of something or engaging more in something for the body, mind, and brain to create restful spaces for regeneration and rejuvenation.

Dr. Mark L. Gandolfi Centre for Stress Management  ·  Healthspan · Happyspan · Lifespan
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"To enhance our wellness, we must learn to rest as intentionally as we work."

Rest is not one-size-fits-all. Different kinds of exhaustion require different kinds of recovery. Understanding which type of rest you need is one of the most practical tools in your wellness toolkit.

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R1  ·  First Type
Physical Rest

Relieving our physical body of physical stress. Tai-chi and meditation are good transitions that will reduce tension and enhance our sleep — allowing the body to truly repair and restore.

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R2  ·  Second Type
Social Rest

This can range from solitude and "me time" to being around peaceful people and places that do not take your energy, but instead give you calmness and a sense of ease.

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R3  ·  Third Type
Mental Rest

At first a challenge to reduce the "inner chatter" we have about work and life. Grounding and breath work helps turn down the world noise and quieten an overactive mind.

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R4  ·  Fourth Type
Spiritual Rest

Shifting one's mental and physical activities on daily life activities by engaging in something that gives a sense of community, connection, meaning, and purposeful giving.

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R5  ·  Fifth Type
Emotional Rest

Sustaining our EQ in daily life can be stressful and energy draining. Shift to journaling nightly — three happy experiences you have had in life — to restore emotional balance.

R6  ·  Sixth Type
Creative Rest

Our daily lives require us "to do things" to survive. Pivot into daily curious behaviours of awe and wonder — art, nature, music, play — to release healthy brain chemicals and restore imagination.

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R7  ·  Seventh Type
Sensory Rest

Turn devices off one hour before rest. Take detox technology breaks weekly. Reduce scrolling, and reconnect with meditation, reading books, listening to music, taking walks in mother nature — to calm our over-stimulated brains and restore our senses to their natural rhythm.

Rest is not a reward.
It is a requirement.

Brain · Mind · Body  ·  Healthspan · Happyspan · Lifespan
Dr. Mark L. Gandolfi Centre for Stress Management  ·  Human Made — Not Machine/AI Made