The difference between rest and disconnection: what do you really need?

We live in a world that, on the one hand, demands we perform at our best and, on the other, encourages us to “unplug” as a synonym for well-being. We’re told to “turn off your phone,” “plan a weekend getaway,” “unplug by watching a TV show.” But have you ever felt like you needed a vacation from vacation? Or have you spent the entire weekend at home “unplugging” from a grueling work week only to arrive on Monday just as tired?

You are not the only one.

And no, you’re not doing anything wrong.

The problem is that you’re confusing two very different needs: disconnecting and resting.

Disconnect, silence external noise

Disconnecting is basically turning off stimuli. Closing your laptop. Putting your phone on airplane mode. Not checking email or the barrage of news. It’s also about distancing yourself, even temporarily, from a stressful situation or a draining activity, like work.

Basically, it’s giving yourself permission to cut out what overstimulates you and pause external demands. However, disconnecting isn’t as simple as it seems. In fact, it’s not even synonymous with resting.

You can disconnect from the pressures of work by binge-watching three episodes of a series, spending an hour on social media, or going out to dinner with friends. These activities can be fantastic because they help you break the cycle and take a break from what was weighing you down.

However, your brain is likely still in “alert mode.” Your nervous system will remain active, your body tense, and your mind hyperactive. Disconnecting means removing yourself from a context that is overwhelming or exhausting you, but it doesn’t always imply deep recovery. It’s like turning down the music, but without completely shutting it off.

Rest, the art of repairing from within

Resting is something else. It’s what allows you to truly recharge your batteries. It’s not just about stopping, but about healing from within. Giving your body, brain, nervous system, and spirit what they need to regenerate.

You can disconnect by simply changing your activity, but rest is an active process of physical, mental, and emotional recovery. It requires connecting with yourself. In fact, rest isn’t always about “doing nothing.” It can mean sleeping, but it can also mean taking deep breaths, taking a leisurely walk, venting repressed emotions, meditating, writing a therapeutic diary, or simply gazing out the window. Activities that help you release tension, slow down, process what you’ve experienced, and rediscover your center of gravity also help you rest.

Rest, unlike disconnection, leaves you feeling calm and serene. It doesn’t numb you; it heals and regenerates you.

Why do we confuse disconnecting with resting?

Steeped in a culture of productivity, we prefer to disconnect rather than rest because it makes us feel like we’re doing something. Immersing ourselves in another activity gives us the feeling that we’re “enjoying life.” On the other hand, we believe that “resting” isn’t useful. We struggle to stop without feeling guilty, so we tend to seek out other forms of “rest” disguised as entertainment.

However, a Netflix marathon, an afternoon on social media, or a vacation spent rushing from one place to another at our holiday destination isn’t rest. The body can remain just as tired and even more stimulated than before. In fact, several studies have shown that spending too much time on social media or in front of the television doesn’t help us rest, but rather deeply exhausts us.

The problem isn’t disconnecting, but using disconnection as the only escape route, when what our mind needs is to slow down and rest.

How do you know if you need to disconnect or rest?

Sometimes it’s easy to confuse the desire to take a break with the need for deeper rest. However, recognizing when you need to disconnect and when you should truly rest is essential to taking care of your health and protecting your mental balance.

The main signs that you need to disconnect are:

• You feel overwhelmed by daily obligations, to the point that they absorb you completely.
• You feel like you can’t concentrate because of the amount of stimuli, whether from work or technology.
• You feel like you need to take a break to recharge your batteries and get back to what you were doing, whether it’s a work project or a personal challenge.

Instead, the signs that you need to rest are:

• You feel irritable for no apparent reason, everything bothers you and makes you uncomfortable.
• You feel physical and mental fatigue that doesn’t improve even after a night’s sleep or after disconnecting.
• Everything becomes twice as difficult because your energy levels are at rock bottom: thinking, moving, making decisions… It’s as if life suddenly became an uphill battle.
• Your body is screaming at you to stop: you have headaches, tension, frequent gastrointestinal problems…
• You need time to gain perspective, regain mental clarity, or rediscover your inner balance.

Practical keys to start taking better care of yourself

1. Analyze your day. Ask yourself this question at the end of each day: “Am I tired because I’ve done too much or because I’ve been overstimulated?” If it’s the latter, you probably need to rest, not just unwind.
2. Create real microbreaks. Not everything has to be a vacation. A 10-minute break without screens, just breathing or stretching, can change your day. In fact, a meta-analysis conducted at the West University of Timișoara found that 10-minute breaks actually help us unwind and improve performance.
3. Don’t confuse disconnecting with “escaping.” We sometimes tend to think that watching a series or going on a trip will cure accumulated fatigue… That’s not the case. If you’re burdened inside, you carry exhaustion with you wherever you go or whatever you do.
4. Learn to measure your emotional tank. It’s important to learn to detect the signs that you need a break before it’s too late. If you feel dissatisfied, apathetic, or emotionally distant, you probably need a real break, not just a distraction from what you’re doing.
5. Create rituals to reconnect throughout the day. We live in a fast-paced, autopilot mode, which distances us from ourselves. Therefore, we not only need to disconnect from the outside world but also reconnect with our inner selves. Create small rituals that generate calm and help you find your center amidst the daily chaos.

Remember that disconnecting distracts you; resting rebuilds you. So the next time you feel burned out, instead of putting on “another chapter” or mindlessly scrolling through social media, ask yourself: “What do I really need right now? ” Your well-being isn’t a luxury, so you should consciously prioritize it.

References:

Albulescu, P. et. Al. (2022) «Give me a break!» A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS One; 17(8): e0272460.

George, A. et. Al. (2022) Binge Watching, Sleep Quality, and Fatigue among Emerging Adults. International Journal of Social Sciences Review; 10(3): 385-389.

Zheng, H. & Ling, R. (2021) Drivers of social media fatigue: A systematic review. Telematics and Informatics; 64: 101696.