In our society, we are praised for working too hard. We compete over who had the worst night’s sleep, wear the bags under our eyes like badges of honour, and push through exhaustion to meet deadlines—often at the cost of our well-being. Those of us with a monthly hormone cycle feel this pressure even more intensely, disconnected from our natural rhythms. We skip meals, ignore rest, and fall victim to diet culture, brainwashed from an early age into believing we are never good enough.
We live off stimulants, depressants, and who knows what else, just to keep ourselves “functioning.”
But when do we allow ourselves to truly rest, to heal, to connect?
At Alleviate Holistics, based in Colchester and Wickford and serving clients across Essex and online, we are committed to helping you break free from this cycle. We offer a wide range of holistic healing services including Yoga, Sound Healing, Meditation, Osteopathy, and Ayurvedic guidance to support your nervous system and guide you back to balance.
The Cost of Burnout
I know from personal experience what it feels like to be in crippling agony, yet still feel guilty for lying in bed. The belief that to be “successful” I must live in a constant state of burnout has been deeply ingrained. I watch my friends, family, and clients collapse under exhaustion and still whisper, “I don’t have time to rest.”
Here’s the truth:
If you don’t choose rest, your body will choose it for you—through illness, chronic fatigue, anxiety, or worse.
I don’t find it admirable when someone works 60+ hour weeks. I feel deep grief that we live in a world where that’s considered normal, just to survive. Too many people live in a dysregulated nervous system and don’t even realise it—it’s become their “normal.” That’s what breaks my heart the most.
I’m here to remind you:
You don’t have to live with chronic pain, PMS, anxiety, depression, burnout, or skin issues.
Healing begins when we start allowing ourselves to rest—really rest.
A Decent Night’s Sleep Is Not Enough
There are seven types of rest, and each one plays a vital role in your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health.
At Alleviate Holistics, we offer practices and tools that support all seven types of rest, whether you’re joining us for a yin yoga class, booking an osteopathy session in Essex, or exploring sound healing and nervous system support.
The Seven Types of Rest and How to Practice Them
1. Physical Rest
Physical rest includes both passive (sleep, stillness) and active (gentle movement) recovery. Support physical rest through:
Restorative yoga or stretching
Short naps or mindful rest
Walks in nature or mobility practices
Why it matters: Physical rest helps repair tissues, support hormone function, and prevent fatigue.
2. Mental Rest
Give your mind space to slow down and recover from overthinking and mental strain:
Mindfulness or meditation practices
Reducing screen time
Journaling or brain-dumping
Yoga nidra for mental reset
Why it matters: Mental rest improves clarity, reduces anxiety, and restores cognitive balance.
3. Emotional Rest
Stop masking how you feel. Emotional rest helps you release emotional pressure. Practices include:
Honest conversations with someone you trust
Journaling for emotional expression
Solitude without performance
Practising self-compassion
Why it matters: Emotional rest helps regulate your emotional state and prevent burnout.
4. Sensory Rest
Modern life is full of overstimulation—screens, traffic, noise. Reclaim sensory calm by:
Turning off devices
Sitting in silence
Time in nature
Why it matters: Sensory rest soothes your nervous system and reduces chronic stress.
5. Creative Rest
Let go of constant output and make space for inspiration. Try:
Enjoying creativity without pressure
Taking walks or time in beautiful environments
Resting from projects or expectations
Embracing curiosity, art, or nature
Why it matters: Creative rest restores your imagination, insight, and self-expression.
6. Social Rest
Set boundaries with your social energy and honour your capacity. Options include:
Quiet time with supportive people
Taking breaks from social media
Saying no to non-essential commitments
Prioritising connection over performance
Why it matters: Social rest creates space for genuine, nourishing relationships.
7. Spiritual Rest
Reconnect with something greater than yourself—your values, purpose, or presence. This might look like:
Time in nature or sacred stillness
Volunteering or meaningful service
Spiritual reflection or rituals that align with your beliefs
Why it matters: Spiritual rest grounds you in purpose and reconnects you to a sense of belonging.
Let Alleviate Holistics Support Your Rest & Healing
At Alleviate Holistics, we’re here to help you regulate, restore, and reconnect—not through hustle, but through compassionate, holistic care. We work with clients in Colchester, Wickford, across Essex, and online, guiding you toward sustainable wellbeing, supporting you with achieving the seven types of rest.
Whether you’re dealing with nervous system dysregulation, hormonal imbalances, chronic stress, or low energy, you don’t have to do it alone.
