Why rest doesn't always = sleep - seven types of rest for creatives - Part 1

January has a way of raising our expectations, don't you agree? There are so many messages that tell us, it's a New Year, New You, set your resolutions, go back to work, back to doing, doing, doing....

But you know that for me, living more seasonally aligned, I realise that we are still in the depths of Winter and that I will ignore societal programming and wait for my new year in Spring. And I will continue to do what we should all be doing in winter - resting.

This is the reason, during my recent week of annual leave, I’ve barely been in the studio at all. I've been tending to other things which honour the Winter season. My days have been filled with quieter things: reading books, taking small afternoon naps, cooking nourishing meals, heading to the allotment, baking bread and cakes, listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

I’ve been paying attention to active, intentional rest, which is really important, especially for creative people.

We Often Think Rest Means One Thing

Most of us were taught that rest means sleep. Or stopping. Or switching off.

But rest is more nuanced than that. We can sleep and still feel exhausted. We can take time off and still feel full, heavy, or overwhelmed.

Tiredness isn’t always physical, and creativity, in particular, asks for many kinds of replenishment. And did you know there are seven different types of rest?

1. Physical Rest

Letting the body soften

Physical rest includes sleep, but it also includes gentle pauses, slowing down, and releasing tension.

This January, physical rest has looked like:

• small afternoon naps without guilt

• slower mornings

• not pushing my body to be “useful”

• Attending a yoga day retreat and a weekly yoga class

After a full year of busy teaching and showing up and building my business, my body needed reassurance that it didn’t have to brace itself anymore. And I feel so much better for it.

2. Mental Rest

Giving the thinking mind a break

If you're anything like me you will know that creative minds are constantly working, planning, reflecting, imagining, holding ideas loosely in the background.

Mental rest has been one of the strongest themes for me this January.

It’s been there in:

• reading novels rather than professional books

• listening to audiobooks and podcasts while doing simple tasks

• letting my mind wander without needing to decide or solve

Reading, especially, has been a form of mental rest, not reading to learn or improve, but reading to receive, to follow another voice for a while so mine can switch off for a while.

When the mind is allowed to rest, creativity doesn’t disappear. It means that when we step back to our creative work we can feel refreshed and renewed.

3. Sensory Rest

Less input, more simplicity

The world is loud, it's big and bright and forever demanding of our attention.

Sensory rest is about reducing stimulation, fewer screens, fewer demands on the senses, more calm.

For me, this has shown up in:

• time in the kitchen, hands in dough

• the familiar rhythms of cooking and baking

• fewer hours online

• softer days with fewer transitions

There’s something deeply regulating about repetitive, tactile tasks. Baking bread, stirring soup, washing up slowly, breathing slowly - all help us to feel grounded and regulated.

They remind the nervous system that it’s safe to slow down.

Looking back on this January, I can see that even though I haven’t been producing much, I’ve been resting in ways my system clearly needed. And I'm hoping this will continue into February too. Join me next time to hear about the four other types of rest, not just for during winter but any time.

Will you join me in intentional rest?