Knowing what kind of rest you need can be pretty tricky, especially if you’re already feeling tired and drained. It can be difficult to listen and gauge from your body and mind whether you simply need a good night’s sleep or a break from socialising to recharge your battery. And this rest can differ if you lean towards introverted qualities or more extroverted tendencies.

An introvert – a person who tends to prefer spending time alone or in smaller groups – may need a different type of rest compared to an extrovert who tends to enjoy high energy environments and socialising in big groups.

According to Dr Jade Thomas, a psychologist and founder of Luxe Psychology Practice, there are six different types of rest that we all need:

Physical rest: “Getting good quality sleep is a big part of physical rest, with a focus on quality rather than quantity of sleep. But also, activities such as lying down, relaxing your muscles and engaging in gentle movement such as yoga can help your body recover from physical demands,” explains Thomas.

Mental rest: “On average, a person has approximately 60,000 thoughts per day,” says Thomas. Our brains are working a lot harder than we think, so it’s a good idea to give your mind a break from all the noise. “Mindfulness practices such as meditation, breathing exercises, taking short breaks during your workday or engaging in hobbies and activities that allow your mind to switch off can help to reduce mental fatigue, enhance focus and boost creativity.”

Sensory rest: For some, bright lights, screens and background noise can cause them to feel overwhelmed, so it’s important to give our senses a break too. “Taking time away from screens and electronics, closing your eyes, meditating or even getting outside in the calmness of nature can help to reset our senses,” Thomas shares.

Social rest: This type of rest is all about engaging in positive and supportive social connections, or taking a break from socialising altogether. “It requires us to examine our relationships to determine which people give us energy and which can take our energy.”

Creative rest: Thomas also says that we need to rejuvenate our creativity by engaging in the world of art, nature and music to boost inspiration, spark new ideas and bring us joy.

Spiritual rest: “This rest is about finding meaning and purpose beyond your daily routines, which could be achieved through meditation, prayer, spending time in nature or engaging in community involvement.”

When it comes to more introverted individuals, they might find they need to “engage in more social or sensory rest as they can find social situations more draining, and their senses might get more easily overwhelmed that someone who identifies as an extrovert.”

For extroverted individuals, Thomas explains that the rest they may need to prioritise is more mental rest to “ensure they avoid emotional burnout due to being very charismatic, socialising individuals”.

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