The Essential Practice of Deep Rest: Nurturing Yourself Through Personal Winters
What Is Deep Rest?
What is deep rest? It’s a phrase I’ve heard countless times in conversations about healing and self-care. But what does it actually mean? Is it just about getting more sleep, or is it something deeper—something more intentional? For highly sensitive people (HSPs), understanding and embracing deep rest can be transformative.
To start, let’s talk about what deep rest is not. It’s not collapsing on the couch after a long day, mindlessly scrolling through your phone (something I am guilty of doing far too many times). It’s not a hurried nap squeezed into an already packed schedule. Deep rest is intentional. It’s about creating space—physically, mentally, and emotionally—to truly restore your energy and nurture your well-being. For HSPs, who often process the world at a heightened level, deep rest is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Deep Rest and the Rhythm of Winter
As I reflect on the idea of deep rest, I’m reminded of winter. Both the season and our own personal winters. In nature, winter is a time of dormancy. The trees shed their leaves, the earth grows quiet, and energy is conserved for the renewal of spring. There’s a profound wisdom in this cycle—a reminder that rest is a natural and essential part of life.
In our personal winters, we may feel the need to retreat, to slow down, and to nurture ourselves on a deeper level. For HSPs, these periods can feel especially poignant. Perhaps you’ve experienced a time when the demands of life became too much, and you craved stillness and solitude. That’s your inner winter calling for deep rest.
A personal winter is a season in life marked by introspection, stillness, and the need for restoration. It might come after a period of intense activity, emotional upheaval, or even a significant life change. Just as the natural world pauses to replenish itself, our personal winters invite us to turn inward, shed what no longer serves us, and conserve our energy for what lies ahead. These times may feel quiet or even lonely, but they are fertile ground for healing, growth, and renewal.
I’ve experienced many personal winters, and as I write this, I find myself deep within one. It is said that neurotypical people will experience 3-4 personal winters within their time. From my own personal experience as a highly sensitive person, I have experienced vastly more personal winters than any other season. Every time the chilling cold of that winter approaches, which I have come to the point of feeling and knowing it is coming now, I think to myself, “not again.” I beat myself up over it and ask what is wrong with me, why do I always end up here, how do I fix this and get out of the winter as soon as possible. This time, rather than criticizing myself or pushing to escape it, I’m choosing to embrace it fully. I’ve decided to focus on deep rest practices and allow this season to nurture and restore me. My intention for this period of deep rest during my personal winter is to truly feel and understand what deep rest is and to integrate these practices into my regular routine, so they can support me in other seasons of life and help make future winters less frequent and less harsh.
In the past, dissociation became my default response whenever the depression, overwhelm, and burnout of a personal winter set in. While my body and mind were crying out for deep rest, I didn’t fully understand what that meant. Instead, I would retreat into bed to rot, binge-watch TV shows, endlessly scroll through TikTok, or play video games to escape the inner pain and discomfort of the season. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with indulging in these activities occasionally as a form of escape, the danger lies in becoming stuck in this cycle day after day, unable to break free. This prolonged dissociation prevents true restoration and leaves us further depleted.
The Danger of Dissociation vs. Deep Rest
When our body and mind are craving deep rest, it’s easy to fall into the trap of dissociation instead. Dissociation is a mental state where we disconnect from our thoughts, emotions, or surroundings as a way to cope with overwhelm or stress. While it might provide temporary relief, it’s ultimately a maladaptive response that prevents true restoration.
Instead of nurturing ourselves, dissociation keeps us in a cycle of avoidance, delaying the healing and renewal we genuinely need. For HSPs, this can mean spending hours numbing out through mindless scrolling, binge-watching, or other distractions that don’t address the underlying need for rest. Over time, this avoidance can lead to deeper emotional fatigue and burnout, as we’re not truly replenishing our energy or addressing the root causes of our exhaustion.
Deep rest, on the other hand, requires intention and presence. It allows us to meet our needs with compassion and care, creating the space for genuine healing and renewal.
Why Deep Rest Matters for HSPs
HSPs process sensory information more deeply than others, which can lead to overstimulation, fatigue. And burn-out. Deep rest allows us to recover not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves, to listen to our inner needs, and to rebuild our reserves of energy and resilience.
When we embrace deep rest, we honor our natural rhythms. Just as winter prepares the earth for spring, deep rest prepares us for the vibrant seasons of our lives. It’s in this quiet, restorative space that we can heal, grow, and find clarity.
How to Embrace Deep Rest
Create a Restful Environment: Think of your space as a cocoon. Dim the lights, reduce noise, and add comforting elements like soft blankets, soothing scents, and/or relaxing sounds.
Practice Intentional Stillness: Engage in activities that invite deep relaxation, such as restorative yoga, meditation, or simply sitting in silence.
Honor Your Inner Seasons: Recognize when you’re in a personal winter and give yourself permission to slow down. Let go of guilt or the need to be constantly productive.
Set Boundaries: Protect your rest time by saying no to commitments that don’t align with your energy levels.
Connect with Nature: Spend time outdoors during winter, even if it’s just a few minutes. Observing the stillness of the season can inspire your own journey toward deep rest.
The Gift of Deep Rest
Deep rest is a gift we give to ourselves. It’s a practice of self-compassion and an acknowledgment of our intrinsic worth. For HSPs, it’s a pathway to balance and wholeness—a chance to step back from the noise of the world and tune into the quiet wisdom within.
So, as you navigate the seasons of your life, I encourage you to embrace your winters. Let them be a time of deep rest and renewal. In doing so, you’ll emerge not just rested but ready to bloom.
My Gift to You
As a gift to support you this winter, I invite you to download this journaling exercise PDF. You can fill it out digitally on your computer or print it to complete by hand—whichever feels best for you.
