What is the difference between sleep and rest, sleep vs rest comparison? The human body for some hours of the day needs both sleep and rest. They are both needed to help relax the body physically and mentally.
However, sleep and rest are two different things but serve a similar purpose. We take breaks at work and after a long day, we head home to get more, then sleep to prepare for the next morning.
Our body needs rest when we overworked it. Resting helps regain lost energy after a stressful routine.
While resting is a state where the body is chilled out from a stressed routine, sleeping on the other hand is some sort of altered conscious state.
We will be discussing more on the differences between sleep vs rest in this article.
Definition of Sleep
A common definition of sleep refers to it as the state of reduced consciousness during which a human or animal rest in a daily rhythm. It’s a kind of altered conscious state that causes the body to shut down all physical and mental functions.
Both humans and animals do sleep and need it at certain hours, especially at night. While we sleep, the body starts to repair and perform metabolic functioning such as blood circulation and respiration.
Generally, sleeping is different from resting. When we are asleep, our body shuts down all physical and mental work compared to when we are resting.
When someone is sleeping, his or her body will go through the stage of REM sleep and four stages of non-REM sleep.
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Definition of Rest
The English dictionary defines rest as a relief from work or any relief from exertion: a state of relaxation and quiet.
It refers to the conscious state where the body is not involved in any kind of physical activity. Resting is different from sleeping and there are several examples of rest that help us relax our muscles and organs.
Generally, rest can be any condition where a person is not involved in any kind of physical activity. Unlike sleeping, resting is a wakeful or conscious state where the body is fully aware and can observe all that is happening around.
Resting involves relaxing the body’s organs and muscles. We can engage our minds with something meaningful while we rest.
It’s important we rest after stressful work for certain hours. The body needs it in order to regain lost energy.
More people rest in the evening after a long day at work. However, there are those who due to their job will take the morning hours to rest.
Many people prefer to rest in the evening and they do that by listening to music or reading a book. There are other things one can engage themselves in to help them relax.
Here are a few things people do when they are resting and relaxing. Perhaps one of the examples on the list works for or should try it out when next you are relaxing at home.
- Yoga
- Medication
- Coffee/ tea breaks
- Enjoying family time
- Listening to music
- Playing games/online games
- Reading books or novels
- Watching television or any entertaining or educating content
- Playing musical instrument
- Calling and speaking with friends
- Watching news
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How Sleep and Rest are Different from each other: Sleep vs Rest
There is a difference between sleeping and resting, as the former is a kind of altered conscious state where the body shuts down all the physical work, while the latter can be any condition where one is not engaged in any physical activity.
A person will have to be in a restful state first before he or she falls asleep. But someone who is resting does not necessarily have to sleep, especially if they are taking a break at work.
A person can rest with their eyes open and they will be fully aware of what is happening around them. Someone who is sleeping usually has his or her eyes closed and they are not fully aware of what is happening around them.
When someone is asleep, they usually have a slower bodily motion compared to someone who is just resting.
Sleep vs Rest Differences
Sleep: It’s a kind of altered conscious state that causes the body to shut down all physical and mental functions.
Both humans and animals do sleep and need it at certain hours, especially at night. While we sleep, the body starts to repair and perform metabolic functioning such as blood circulation and respiration.
Rest: It refers to the conscious state where the body is not involved in any kind of physical activity. Resting is different from sleeping and there are several examples of rest that help us relax our muscles and organs.
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Benefits
Sleep: It completely relaxes the whole body and the mind. It offers time to revitalise the whole body and rejuvenate the skin.
Rest: Resting relaxes the body and helps reign lost energy.
Different Stages
Sleep: It involves several phases. Each phase is completed at a different time interval.
Rest: It comprises no sub-stages and it’s for a shorter period of time.
Perception of the Environment
Sleep: It involves a person losing his or her consciousness for a certain period of time. When someone is asleep, his or her ability to perceive the surrounding environment decreases.
Rest: Here, the person is conscious and fully aware of what is happening in the surrounding environment.
Time Period
Sleep: Generally, the human body needs at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep daily.
Rest: This can be for just a few minutes or an hour, especially for those working at a construction site.
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Place Needed
Sleep: A good sleep needs a comfortable place that is quiet. For example, a bed or a cosy couch, or a mat.
Rest: Here, the person does not need a comfortable place like a bed. Anyone can rest just anywhere, whether it’s under a tree, in a café, car, front porch, etc.
Consciousness
Sleep: Here, the whole body and the mind are both in the unconscious stage.
Rest: Someone who is resting is completely conscious and is fully aware of what is happening around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are frequently asked questions on sleep vs rest and the differences.
What is sleep?
A common definition of sleep refers to it as the state of reduced consciousness during which a human or animal rest in a daily rhythm. It’s a kind of altered conscious state that causes the body to shut down all physical and mental functions.
We hope this article on sleep vs rest was helpful.
What is rest?
It refers to the conscious state where the body is not involved in any kind of physical activity. Resting is different from sleeping and there are several examples of rest that help us relax our muscles and organs.
What is the difference between sleep and rest?
There is a difference between sleeping and resting, as the former is a kind of altered conscious state where the body shuts down all the physical work, while the latter can be any condition where one is not engaged in any physical activity.
Conclusion
Both humans and animals do sleep at some point, usually for certain hours. Generally, there is a difference between sleep and rest. The former is a kind of altered conscious state that shuts down all the physical motion of the body while resting is a state where our body is fully aware of the surrounding environment.
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References
- Biodifferences: Difference Between Sleep and Rest
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