A Message from Susan:

With demanding work, school challenges, constant disruptions and mental overload, burnout seems to be lurking around every corner. Many times, exhaustion isn’t from doing too much, but from resting and recovering in the wrong areas. When your nervous system is chronically activated you can't rest, recover or reset. Did you know there are seven types of rest? We will talk about those today. 

Rest & Reset: 

1. Physical Rest 

2. Mental Rest 

3. Sensory Rest

4. Emotional Rest 

5. Social Rest 

6. Spiritual Rest 

7. Creative Rest 

1. Physical Rest 🧘‍♀️

Definition: 
Physical rest is the body’s opportunity to repair, regulate hormones, and restore energy. When rest is inadequate, cortisol remains elevated, muscles stay tense, immune function declines, and fatigue becomes chronic. It is wear-and-tear on your body. 

Signs you need physical rest: 
Persistent fatigue, body aches, irritability, poor sleep, getting sick often. 

Resets: 

• Consistent sleep and wake times  

• Short periods of stillness  

• Gentle movement like stretching and walking 

• Body-based regulation likes breathwork and muscle relaxation 

2. Mental Rest 💭

Definition: 
Mental rest allows the brain to stop thought processing, decision-making, and problem-solving. When the mind never powers down, attention fragments, working memory overloads, and anxiety increases. 

Signs you need mental rest: 
Racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, mental fog, looping worries, irritability. 

Resets: 

• Journaling and brain dumps  

• Scheduled limited worry time  

• Quiet time without technology 

• Cognitive practices like mindfulness  

3. Sensory Rest 👁️

Definition: 
Sensory rest reduces overload from feeling overwhelmed and over-stimulated. Stressors like crowds, screens, noise, lights, alerts, and visual clutter can cause fatigue. Sensory sensitivity, common in neurodiversity, responds to low-input environments. 

Signs you need sensory rest: 
Feeling overwhelmed, jumpy, easily irritated, headaches, screen fatigue. 

Resets: 

• Silence or low-volume environments 

• Dim lighting or natural light 

• Tech breaks (even 30–60 minutes) 

• Simplify surroundings 

• Time in nature 

4. Emotional Rest ❤️

Definition: 
Emotional rest allows you to stop suppressing, managing, or projecting emotions for other people. It creates space to be authentic and process feelings without judgment or escalation. 

Signs you need it emotional rest: 
Emotional overreactions, numbness, resentment, feeling on edge. 

Practical Resets: 

• Name and label emotions (reduces intensity) 

• Safe expression such as journaling, therapy, trusted conversations 

• Strengthen boundaries 

• Self-compassion instead of self-criticism 

5. Social Rest 👥

Definition: 
Social rest means stepping away from relationships that require performance, caretaking, or masking and prioritizing those that allow authenticity and positive co-regulation. 

Signs you need social rest: 
Feeling drained after social interactions, people-pleasing, loneliness even with other people. 

Resets: 

• Reduce time with chronically draining people 

• Spend time with people who energize you 

• Choose quality over quantity 

• Experience quiet, parallel presence with another person 

6. Spiritual Rest 🌌

Definition: 
Spiritual rest is about reconnecting to meaning, values, and purpose beyond daily demands or self-focus. It anchors identity in something larger than yourself. 

Signs you need spiritual rest: 
Feeling lost, disconnected, stuck, or like your life lacks direction. 

Resets: 

• Purposeful actions that reflect your values 

• Prayer, meditation, or contemplative practices 

• Service, gratitude and of compassion 

• Reflection on meaning rather than outcomes 

8. Creative Rest 🎨

Definition: 
Creative rest restores inspiration by allowing the mind to absorb beauty, novelty, and wonder without the pressure to produce or perform. 

Signs you need creative rest: 
Creative blocks, boredom, flatness, or feeling uninspired 

Practical Resets: 

• Exposure to beauty from work such as art, music, nature, literature 

• Curiosity without action 

• Play and exploration 

Join us for a zoom workshop on how to rest, reset and avoid burnout:

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Book Recommendation

Wintering by Katherine May explores the quiet seasons of rest and renewal that help us reset, recover, and begin again.

📚 Got a podcast, playlist, or product that makes you a better human? We love sharing brain-friendly finds.

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