Rest represents one of our most fundamental needs, yet access to it remains profoundly unequal. Some can freely embrace rest without judgment, while others face criticism, shame, and real-world consequences for the same basic human necessity. This stark reality forms the foundation of what I call "the politics of rest."

Who gets to rest without being labeled lazy? Who can take mental health days without facing scrutiny? These aren't neutral questions but deeply political ones shaped by systems of privilege, power, and policy. Wealth-holding households enjoy vacations and help with daily tasks without judgment, while economically disadvantaged people, communities of color, women, and immigrants face barriers to the same recovery time. This disparity reveals how rest has become politicized—a resource available to some while denied to others.

I've experienced firsthand how transformative intentional rest can be. After feeling burnout, particularly following the pandemic, I consciously slowed down and reduced my workload. This choice—made possible by my privilege—profoundly improved my wellness journey. Yet I recognize that many cannot make similar choices. For generations, many communities have carried the trauma of not being allowed to slow down, where resting could mean life or death. This history lives on in our bodies and nervous systems today.

Perhaps most provocatively, I suggest that depression might be viewed not as a personal failure but as a reasonable response to unreasonable demands—the body's last-resort mechanism when proper rest is systematically denied. The collapse that comes with depression isn't truly restful, as it's accompanied by shame and self-criticism, but it points to our fundamental need for recovery. Creating a world where rest is accessible to everyone isn't just about personal wellness—it's about justice, equity, and transforming systems that exhaust us by design. What's your experience with rest? I'd love to continue this conversation with you.

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