07/08/2025
“Are You Truly Resting—Or Just Exhausted While Sitting Down?”
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You’re not lazy or burned out.
You might just need a kind of rest you’ve never been shown how to recognize.
In her powerful book Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith identifies seven types of rest, beyond sleep. Two that are often overlooked—especially among professionals, caregivers, and leaders—are mental and emotional rest.
Mental Rest – What It Is
Mental rest is what we need when our brains won’t stop spinning—when we're answering emails in our sleep or forgetting simple things because of constant cognitive overload. It’s not just “doing nothing”—it’s about giving your mind space to breathe. Mental rest involves pausing the internal chatter, clearing decision fatigue and offering space for the mind to be still.
If you lie down at night and your mind won’t turn off, or if you find it hard to focus, you may be mentally depleted.
Emotional Rest – What It Is
Emotional rest is the relief we get when we no longer have to perform or pretend. It’s when we can speak our truth, express our real feelings, and just be. Emotional rest means having the space to freely express your emotions without fear of judgment, needing to “perform” for others, or constantly people-pleasing. It’s about being real—authentic, vulnerable, and allowed to feel.
If you’re always saying “I’m fine” when you’re not – you might need emotional rest
Reset Tips You Can Use Today
Here are a few simple ways to reclaim these vital types of rest:
🌿 For Mental Rest:
• Take 30-second “mind breaks” during the day - pause, close your eyes, breathe and notice your body. Look out the window at a nature scene. This interrupts thought loops.
• Write a quick brain-dump list before bed to stop the mental loops.
• Limit multitasking. Choose one task at a time. Take a digital detox moment. Even an hour away from screens gives the brain space to recalibrate.
🌿 For Emotional Rest:
• Share one honest emotion with someone safe. Practice honest, kind communication: “I’m feeling overwhelmed and need a little space”. Emotional rest starts with simple truths.
• Express yourself without explaining. Allow yourself to say how you feel without needing to justify it. Start small with people who are safe, or with journaling.
• Stop performing. Notice where you are “on stage” – whether as a caregiver, cheerful friend, the strong one – and practice stepping off.
In leadership, therapy, education—or any helping role—we are often driven to keep going, even when we’re depleted. But true sustainability requires rest at the level of mind and heart.
Rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement.
Source: Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Which type of rest do you need more of today - mental or emotional? Want to learn more? Visit cherylturnertherapy.com or email me for an appointment cjturner@telus.net
