Sometimes when I’m feeling depressed, it doesn’t feel like a storm.
It feels like my body and mind are worn out.
Like they’re quietly begging for a deep, overdue rest.
Not just sleep.
Not just tired.
But a kind of full-body exhaustion that sits deep in your bones.
The Confusion That Comes With It
This kind of exhaustion can be hard to explain.
Because the world keeps spinning.
People expect things from you.
And somewhere inside, you still want to show up. But you can’t.
You just want to press pause.
And in a culture that values productivity, that pause can feel shameful.
What If Depression Isn’t Something to “Fix”?
We often talk about depression as something we need to fix.
Something we have to push through or “snap out of.”
But what if depression is also your brain and body’s way of saying:
“Slow down. You need space to breathe. You’re carrying too much.”
Think of your phone when the battery hits 1%.
It shuts down to preserve itself.
Our minds can be like that too.
What Deep Rest Actually Looks Like
Deep rest isn’t just about getting more sleep.
It’s about giving yourself permission to:
- Step back from pressure
- Pause the to-do list
- Honour what your body is asking for
For me, that’s looked like:
- Saying no to plans even when I feel guilty
- Taking moments to just breathe and be — without doing anything
- Allowing slow days where I don’t push or force myself
These small acts of gentleness have helped more than any productivity hack ever could.
If You’re in This Place Too…
If today feels heavy — if you’re feeling foggy, flat, or numb — I want you to know:
You’re not lazy.
You’re not broken.
You’re just in a season where your mind and body need deep rest.
And that rest?
It’s not weakness.
It’s a vital part of your healing.
Let yourself slow down.
You deserve that.
With understanding,
Ness
Traversing Trauma 
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