HOW TO REST WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY

For a long time, I found it difficult to rest without guilt. I remember being so tired but still feeling I should go to the gym, I even would ring my mum asking for permission not to go because I couldn’t allow myself that decision. Rest felt like something I had to earn, rather than something I deserved.

But here’s the truth: rest isn’t earned, it isn’t a luxury—it’s necessary.

Many people I work with here in Burton-on-Trent tell me the same thing: "I know I need to slow down, but I feel lazy, selfish, or behind if I do."

We live in a culture that rewards busyness and productivity. When we deny ourselves rest, we deny our bodies and minds the chance to restore, regulate, and heal. Over time, this can lead to burnout, anxiety, and disconnection from ourselves. Learning to rest without guilt is one of the most powerful acts of self-care we can practice.

WHY WE FEEL GUILTY ABOUT REST

Feeling guilty about rest isn't a personal failing, it's often learned from cultural conditioning or internal pressures we put ourselves under. Many of us grow up absorbing messages like:

• You should always be doing something useful

• Rest is for when everything else is done.

• Being tired is normal, just push through.

• Slowing down means you're falling behind or lazy.

Your nervous system takes these messages seriously. Even when you stop physically, your body may stay in a low-level stress response — making rest feel uncomfortable, restless, or undeserved.

This is something I see a lot in my sessions. People don’t struggle with rest because they’re bad at it — they struggle because their system has forgotten how to feel safe slowing down.

TIPS FOR RESTING WITHOUT GUILT

One of the biggest myths about rest is that it means lying still and emptying your mind. For many people, especially those who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or burnt out, that can feel impossible.

Rest is better thought of as:

• Anything that helps your nervous system regulate

• Anything that brings you back into your body

• Anything that reduces constant mental effort

This will look slightly different for everyone. Rest doesn’t have to be passive. It just needs to be supportive.

1. Reframe rest as nourishment

   Think of rest as fuel for your nervous system. Just as good food nourishes your body, good rest nourishes your mind and spirit. Rest isn't indulgent - it's preventative.

   
   

2. Schedule rest like an appointment

   Block out time for rest in your diary. Treat it with the same importance as a meeting or deadline.

   
   

3. Practice small pauses

   Rest doesn’t always mean hours of sleep. Try something small and concrete such as five minutes of mindful breathing, lying down with your eyes closed, or simply stepping outside for fresh air. Small, regular moments of rest are often more effective than occasional long ones.

   
   

4. Notice the benefits

   After resting, pay attention to how you feel—calmer, clearer, more present, less reactive? These subtle shifts matter and help reinforce that rest is valuable, not indulgent.

   
   

5. Release the “shoulds”

   Catch yourself when you think “I should be doing more.” Replace it with “I deserve to rest.” If it feels uncomfortable or frustrating, that's a sign that you need some support, not more willpower or to label yourself as "someone who can't rest."

REST & WELLNESS IN BURTON

At Roots & Reeds in Burton upon Trent, I create spaces where rest is celebrated, not questioned.

• Yoga classes in Burton upon Trent focusing on yin, restorative, and meditation practices.

• Sound baths in Derbyshire designed to soothe the nervous system.

• Wellness workshops and retreats near Burton upon Trent that offer deep rest, reflection, and reconnection.

These experiences are invitations to step away from guilt and into genuine restoration. You don’t need permission—you already deserve it.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS NEAR BURTON ON TRENT

If you’re reading this and recognising yourself, I want you to know there’s nothing wrong with you.

Difficulty resting isn’t a personal flaw — it’s often the result of living for a long time in a world that values output over wellbeing. Learning how to rest without guilt is a process, and it’s one you don’t have to do alone.

If you’re local to Burton-on-Trent, I offer gentle yoga, Yoga Nidra, Reiki, and sound baths designed specifically to support nervous system regulation and deep rest. I also work one-to-one and online, so there are different ways to find something that fits your life.

There’s no pressure to be flexible, spiritual, or ‘good at relaxing’. Just an invitation to slow down, notice your body, and take rest one step at a time.

If you’re ready to explore, join me at venues near Burton upon Trent:

• Sunday 18th January, 3pm – Restorative Yoga & Sound Bath at Breedon Priory Health Club

  
  

• Saturday 17th February, 4.30pm - Embrace the Seasons at Knights Health & Fitness

  
  

• Sunday 15th February, 3pm – Candlelit Calm Workshop at Breedon Priory Health Club

  
  

• Sunday 15th March, 1pm - Spring Reset Half Day Retreat at The Gasworks in Sudbury

All my events are designed to help you recharge, regulate your nervous system, and embrace rest without guilt.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’ve spent years pushing through, it makes sense that rest feels awkward at first. Rest is not a reward for hard work. It is the foundation that allows us to live, love, and give fully. When you allow yourself to rest without guilt, you reclaim your energy, your clarity, and your joy.

So next time you feel tired, instead of pushing through, pause. Breathe. Rest. And know that you are worthy of it. Whether that’s through a slow yoga class in Burton-on-Trent, a Yoga Nidra practice at home, or simply allowing yourself to pause without justification, every small step counts.

You don’t need to earn your rest. You’re allowed to slow down.

Helen

Helen is the founder of Roots & Reeds - Yoga and Wellness. She is a yoga teacher, breath coach and wellbeing practitioner based in Burton and Derbyshire. She specialises in restorative practices that soothe the nervous system and support people in slowing, reconnecting and finding calm in everyday life. Through yoga, breathwork, meditation, Reiki and sound, she helps people build grounded, sustainable wellbeing that feels accessible and real.