7 types of rest needed on your lupus journey
Rest is important and is more than just sleep!
Physical Rest – Relieving your body of physical stressors like insomnia, muscle tensions and headaches. The two types of physical rest are passive and active. Passive: sleeping and napping. Active: activities like yoga, stretching, and massage therapy that help improve the body’s circulation and flexibility.
Mental Rest – Giving your brain a break from your inner talk and chatter. Finding it hard to sleep could be from your mind racing. Schedule short breaks every two hours throughout your workday. these breaks remind you to slow down. Keep a notepad by the bed to do brain dumps and release yourself from things that may be on your mind.
Sensory Rest – Our senses can get overloaded throughout the day. With computers, zoom calls and all the chatter and talk around us we can become overwhelmed. Give your senses a break. You can get sensory rest by unplugging, closing your eyes and breathing for a few moments and intentionally removing yourself to prevent sensory overload.
Creative Rest – Exposing yourself to inspiring and creative environments without having to tap into your own creativity. Creative rests awakens the beauty inside us. Doing things that help you feel inspired like attending an art show or just simply enjoying nature. You don’t have to spend days without inspiration around you.
Emotional Rest – Having the time and the space to express your feelings freely and openly, with no judgement or attempt to try and fix it all. This can come in the form or therapy or life coaching. Emotional rest can also come by verbalizing you aren’t okay and stating your feelings.
Social Rest – Connecting to others who do not require anything from you. They just enjoy your company. Being around relationships that feed into you as opposed to taking from you. Social rest comes when you surround yourself with positive and supportive people.
Spiritual Rest – Connecting to something greater than yourself. Connecting in a way that goes beyond the physical and mental. Something that gives you a Feeling a deep sense of love, acceptance, and purpose. Try adding prayer, meditation or community involvement and service to your daily routine.
Rest is important and is more than just sleep. Sleep alone can not refresh and restore us. Feeling rested consists of combinations that work together to help us feel renewed. Just because you have slept doesn’t mean you have rested. Rest should always encompass the 7 core areas of physical, mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social and spiritual rest. Effective rest takes on many forms, and can combat pain, brain fog and lack of energy on your lupus journey. #LupusInColor
