How to Make the Most of Your Mental Health Day: Rest vs. True Restoration

Mental health days have become a popular idea—and for good reason. We all need time to pause, recharge, and step away from the demands of work, family, and daily stress. But somewhere along the way, the idea of a mental health day got tangled up with a simple notion: rest means doing nothing. Sleep in. Watch TV. Scroll on your phone. Cancel all plans.

Sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. But here’s the thing: rest doesn’t always restore you. And restoration doesn’t always mean rest.

Let’s unpack that, because it’s a distinction that can transform how you approach your mental health days—and your relationship to self-care in general.