Different Types of Rest: Helping Children and Adults Recharge Over the Festive Shutdown

Alice Cantwell
4 days ago
4 min read

Supporting sensory, mental, emotional and social wellbeing for children, teens and adults; especially during school holidays and routine changes. The festive period is often described as a time of rest, yet for many children and adults, especially neurodivergent individuals, it can feel anything but restful.

If you’re searching for ways to support regulation, recovery and wellbeing during school holidays or festive shutdowns, understanding different types of rest can make a meaningful difference. Routines change, expectations increase, social demands rise, and sensory input is everywhere.

True rest isn’t just about stopping work or school. It’s about recharging the parts of our nervous system that are depleted. And importantly, rest is not one-size-fits-all. What restores one person may dysregulate another.

Below we explore different types of rest and offer practical, flexible ideas so you can work out what fits best for you or your family.

Sensory Rest 🧠

Supporting nervous system regulation and sensory wellbeing

Sensory rest supports the nervous system by reducing or balancing sensory input. This can be particularly important during the festive shutdown when lights, noise, smells, crowds and disruptions are constant.

You might benefit from sensory rest if:

You feel overwhelmed, irritable or snappy
Your body feels tense or on edge
Small noises or interruptions feel unbearable

Ideas to try:

Dim lights or use lamps instead of overhead lighting
Noise-cancelling headphones or calming music
A warm bath or shower
Weighted blankets or deep pressure hugs (when welcome)
Quiet outdoor walks
Sensory-friendly clothing days (soft, loose, familiar)

For some people, sensory rest doesn’t mean less input, it means the right input. Gentle movement, rocking, swinging, or pressure-based activities can be deeply regulating.

Mental Rest

Reducing cognitive load and mental fatigue

Mental rest helps quiet a busy, racing or overloaded mind. During school holidays or festive breaks, mental load often increases rather than decreases; planning, anticipating, masking and decision-making all take energy.

You might need mental rest if:

Your thoughts feel loud or constant
You struggle to switch off
You feel mentally fatigued even when not “doing much”

Ideas to try:

Structured downtime (planned rest rather than endless scrolling)
Short brain breaks between activities
Listening to audiobooks or podcasts instead of reading
Simple, familiar routines to reduce decision fatigue
Writing lists to get thoughts out of your head

Mental rest doesn’t mean forcing your mind to be blank. It means reducing cognitive demand and allowing your brain to settle in a way that feels safe.

Emotional Rest

Creating space for feelings without pressure or performance

Emotional rest is about having space to exist without performing, pleasing, masking or holding it all together for others. This is often one of the most overlooked types of rest.

You might need emotional rest if:

You feel emotionally drained or tearful
You’re holding in feelings to keep the peace
You feel pressure to be grateful, cheerful or “fine”

Ideas to try:

Time alone without expectations
Journaling or voice notes to process feelings
Creative outlets like drawing, crafting or music
Sitting with someone safe without needing to talk
Permission to opt out of conversations or events

Emotional rest is not withdrawal; it’s repair.

Social Rest

Protecting energy and reducing social overwhelm

Social rest doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding people altogether. It means choosing social interaction that feels nourishing rather than draining.

You might need social rest if:

Socialising feels exhausting rather than connecting
You feel pressure to attend events out of obligation
You need significant recovery time after seeing others

Ideas to try:

Shorter visits instead of long gatherings
One-to-one time rather than group settings
Parallel play or shared activities without pressure to talk
Saying no (or not yet) to social plans
Planning recovery time after social events

For children, social rest may look like solo play, quiet companionship, or reduced expectations around interaction.

Gentle, Restful Activities to Mix & Match

Flexible ideas for children, teens and adults

Remember: you don’t need to do all of these. Pick what fits your nervous system.

Reading or listening to a favourite book
Crafting, colouring or LEGO
A solo coffee or hot chocolate date
A bath with familiar scents
A living room dance party
Baking something simple and predictable
Watching a comfort show
Time outside – even for 5 minutes
Screen-free wind-down time before bed

Some days call for stillness. Others need movement. Both can be restful.

A Compassionate Reminder

If the festive shutdown feels harder than expected, you’re not failing at rest; your nervous system may simply need a different kind of support.

Rest is a skill, and for many neurodivergent individuals it has never been modelled or made accessible.

Need Support?

Neuro-affirming support for individuals and families

If you or your child are struggling to rest, regulate or recover, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

💗 You can book a free clarity call with us to talk through what’s feeling hard and what support might help. 💗 Or send us an email – we’re at the other end of the phone and inbox, ready to listen.

Rest is not a luxury. It’s a need.