Rest vs. Sleep: What’s the Difference and Why Do We Need Both?
When most people think of rest, the first image that comes to mind is a good night’s sleep. While sleep is vital for our health, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Have you ever woken up after eight hours in bed and still felt tired? That’s often a sign that your body may be getting enough sleep but not enough rest.
In today’s fast-moving world, rest often feels like a luxury, something we’ll “get to” when everything else is done. But the truth is, rest is essential for balance, healing, and even joy. It is through rest that we reset our nervous systems, recharge our creativity, and reconnect with ourselves.
The Many Forms of Rest 🌙
Sleep is when the body repairs on a physical level, but rest is what holistically nurtures us. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, author of Sacred Rest, describes seven categories of rest that humans need. For our practice and lifestyle at The MATS, we like to focus on five core types:
Mental Rest 🧠
Our minds are busy, juggling thoughts, deadlines, and endless to-do lists. Mental rest is about pressing pause, even for a moment, so the mind can reset. Meditation, breathwork, or simply sitting quietly in stillness are powerful ways to give the brain a break.Emotional Rest 💛
Holding space for our feelings without judgment allows us to release what we’ve been carrying. This can look like taking time to journal after class, practicing heart-opening postures, or sharing honestly with a supportive community.Spiritual Rest 🌌
Spiritual rest is the deep sense of connection to something larger than ourselves, whether that’s nature, community, or a higher power. In yoga, this often happens in moments of stillness, mantra, or meditation when we feel a sense of belonging beyond the physical.Sensory Rest 👁️👂
From screens to city noise, our senses are constantly stimulated. Yoga offers a sacred space where phones are set aside, lights dim, and the body can tune in to the quieter rhythms of breath and movement. This withdrawal of the senses is known in yoga philosophy as pratyahara, a vital form of sensory rest.Physical Rest 💤
Beyond the hours we spend sleeping, physical rest includes gentle movement, supportive postures, and restorative yoga. It’s a chance for the body to soften, release, and heal from daily tension.
Why Sleep Alone Isn’t Enough
Sleep and rest work together, but they aren’t interchangeable. Sleep repairs your body at a cellular level, muscles heal, tissues regenerate, and memories consolidate. Rest, however, is what prepares you to enter sleep peacefully and ensures that your waking hours feel vibrant and energized. Without rest, sleep may not feel as restorative. Without sleep, rest may not be fully integrated into the body.
Together, they create a rhythm that keeps us balanced.
How Yoga Helps Us Rest
Yoga is often thought of as movement, but equally important are the pauses in between. Each pose invites us into a balance of effort and ease, teaching us that rest is not laziness, it’s a practice of receptivity.
In child’s pose, the body folds into stillness, reminding us of safety and surrender.
In restorative postures, supported by props, the nervous system has permission to slow down.
In savasana, the ultimate posture of rest, we learn to let go completely and trust that stillness is enough.
Over time, yoga helps us integrate these moments of rest into daily life. That might look like closing your eyes for a deep breath before a meeting, unplugging from screens in the evening, or choosing quiet reflection over constant busyness.
Choosing Rest is Choosing Renewal
Rest is not a weakness; it’s a powerful form of self-care and resistance in a culture that glorifies productivity. When we honor rest alongside sleep, we give ourselves the chance to return to life more fully alive, present, and whole.
A Note from The MATS 🌿
The MATS team wishes you both rest and sleep this long holiday weekend. The studio will be closed Monday, September 1st, for Labor Day, and we’ll be back to practice rest with you on Tuesday, September 2nd.
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