Feeling drained even after sleeping? Explore the 7 types of rest and how to give your mind, body, and energy what they truly need.

Howdy friends,

When most of us hear the word rest, let’s be honest you think: I don’t have time for that. Even if you don’t have ADHD the current world wants us to be productive little worker bees all the time. It’s why we hear about burn out all the time now. Many of us know, if we don’t plan to take rest, our bodies will make us and the worst times but still somehow avoid it.

But did you know, rest isn’t just taking a break? All brains crave (brawndo, sorry couldn’t help myself) different types of rest as it turns out. I love that we continue to learn about everything. It’s really the best thing about ADHD for me, always being curious.

Let me explain the different types of rest, there are seven.

Fun fact; there are also different types of love and words for them.

Physical Rest & Mental Rest

These are the most obvious ones, but physical rest is often the hardest one to achieve with ADHD. Even when we sit down we continue to over think. Meditation is one way people with ADHD prioritize rest. We still often feel guilty when we slow down and take this time for ourselves, but remember if you don’t plan it, it will force you too.

I struggle with sitting still, clearly, and the best way I get this physical rest is to combine it with the mental rest.

I like to day dream. Straight into another world with music usually. It’s something I’ve done since I was a child but didn’t realize it had a name. It’s called maladaptive daydreaming, 10/10 recommended as a great way to actually get out of your own head and into a quite literally, another you made up. From what I understand not everyone can do this, but I wanted to mention it in case you, like me, thought you were weird for being able to just disappear into another world at will.

Recently I also started listening to podcast and long form content like Youtube videos or books horizontally.

Specifically after work, I do a few things I have to do, then I make sure to take an hour to lay and listen to long form content. Some people may not be able to lay down and not sleep if you are physically tired here.

Personally, I dislike sitting and doing nothing – thus I struggle with regular meditation – so by focusing on something else instead of my head or thoughts, I am able to actually get in some good mental rest that isn’t, well too boring. It still feels productive, but I am forcing myself to rest.

The biggest tip I can give anyone for physical rest, and I know this is huge in the productivity sphere as well, is work on your sleep.

If you get good sleep at night, enough for you (which is going to be different between people another fun fact, women tend to need more than men, around 9 hours base), you will feel infinitely better during the day. I know it can be a hard journey, but it’s worth it. Change your space. Record yourself. Get a sleep study if you can. Talk to your doctor. Get your sleep right and then the rest falls into place easier.

Sensory Rest

This is another one that is good to sit and chill horizontally.

I’m telling you forcing yourself to lay down and listening to music or a long form video after your work day is just such a good reset.

Life in general often comes with sensory sensitivities. Bright lights, nonstop notifications, the background hum of everything, people. It can feel like your nervous system is on high alert all day.

Sensory rest is the opposite. It’s dimming the lights. Turning off the TV when nobody’s actually watching. Wearing noise-canceling headphones in a loud office.

Those days you come home and even your partner’s touch makes your cringe, and it makes you feel bad but it does. Those are times you might need to rest your senses.

This type of rest is good to practice throughout the day vs letting it build it up until you have an actual melt down. Some good practices as I mentioned are lights, headphones, and taking people breaks. Taking lunch in your car if need be. It’s a rough, overly bright world out there.

One thing I’ve noticed for me, I wear sunshades a lot more than I use too. I didn’t realize how much I squinted until about a year ago, and now I don’t try to suck it up, I reach for my sun glasses more if the world feels too bright.

Creative Rest

Ah the best one we should all do all the time. Not that any of us probably do.

ADHD brains are naturally creative but creativity is energy, and it burns out fast. It’s a mental overload, and for some of us, we look at the art and get immediately inspired and that BURST needs to be used. Practice being inspired and just being in that moment.

Instead of brainstorming, designing, or problem-solving, creative rest looks like walking through a park and letting nature refill your tank. Watching a show just because it makes you happy. Reading a book without turning it into a “note-taking project.”

It’s permission to enjoy without productivity, and the current world hates it.

Read romantsy trash. Draw or paint badly. Decorate your house for fun. The dopamine decor trend was a thing because of this. Society thrives off your capitalist creations. Do things for the vibes.

This is creative rest.

I think this is why, at least on my feeds, I see these little trends about junk journaling or people painting random things in their homes. They realized these are little creative rebellions that make their lives feel more joyful without reason.

Emotional Rest

This is a huge one for neurodivergent people.

Masking, people-pleasing, managing constant emotions in you and around you, ADHD can be emotionally exhausting. Emotional rest means creating a safe spaces for you to unmask.

That might mean journaling your unedited thoughts. Crying in the shower. Venting to a trusted friend without polishing the story. Or simply admitting, “I’m not okay,” and letting that be true for now.

Emotional rest is kindness. It’s you giving yourself permission to be whatever.

Something I started doing as I explored my emotions and the issues I have around alexythmia, or the difficulties in identifying, understanding, and expressing emotions, is keep a mini notebook with me. This way, I can write down unusual things, feelings in the moment – big feelings I can’t express at work because of you know, work, etc. This gives me an outlet to just feel it? I suppose. I still struggle with emotions, but this has been helpful for me.

Social Rest

Not all socializing drains us but let’s be honest, masking does. Social rest happens when you take a break from masking essentially.

I saw a recent note about how some people have about a battery of 2.5 hours and to plan around that. It made so much sense to me, as I don’t hate doing outside things. It’s just so emotionally draining. So planning around that, if this is you, you arrive late, stay 2 hours, then get out and go recharge. If I find it I’ll link it here.

We all know how important community and social interactions are, but taking time to be alone or just a home goblin is important too.

Spiritual Rest

This one is hard.

Spiritual rest is about connecting with things outside of yourself. For me, I like seasonal and nature connections. I also like my particular political groups, they really make me feel more optimistic towards the world.

This type of rest means plugging into the realization that you can, if you want, be a part of these bigger things. Maybe it’s religion. Maybe it’s the lack of religion. I think finding your community is a great way to connect with something bigger than yourself too – but just sitting and relaxing and realizing we are in a universe on a floating rock, spinning is its own release.

Connecting to a deeper type of purpose, is what this rest is really this is looking for. It’s so similar to social, as it may be a social community for you too – but it has a purpose to provide you with a fulfilled feeling outside of yourself. Like giving.

Rest Isn’t Earned, but scheduled

If you take away one thing, let it be this: schedule rest for yourself or your rest will overtake your schedule.

Aka – Burnout, melt downs, breaking down, or crashing out, etc

The second most important thing I learned in my life, before I was diagnosed, etc was to be kinder to myself. Things ebb and flow. The #1 is still sleep. Get your sleep right and everything else is easier, including health issues >>;

Happy planning,

I hope you start to incorporate different types of rest in your practice