Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Art of Rest summary
How to Find Respite in the Modern Age
23 mins
Brief summary
'The Art of Rest' by Claudia Hammond is a research-based book that explores the importance of rest for our physical, mental, and creative health. It provides practical tips for incorporating rest into our daily lives and encourages us to prioritize downtime for better overall well-being.
Table of Contents
The Art of Rest
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
Stress causes damaging effects to health and well-being. Rest can help.
You can find it at your job. You can find it at home. In fact, you can find it pretty much anywhere. Current concerns can be a source of it, as can regrets about the past and worries about the future.
If all this riddling is stressing you out, well, that’s only appropriate – because stress is precisely what’s being referred to.
We live in stressful times. The hubbub of the bustling world demands an always-on mentality of chronic busyness. It can feel like there’s no time to slow down. Or, if there is, there’s still that nagging, guilty feeling that rest is undeserved.
But the consequences of not resting are potentially far more severe than a fleeting pang of guilt.
The key message here is: Stress causes damaging effects to health and well-being. Rest can help.
The dangers of too much stress are well documented. A 2018 study by the Mental Health Foundation found that half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress. And according to the same research, nearly three-quarters of Brits felt so stressed at some point during the year that they couldn’t cope.
People who’re overwhelmed by stress also tend to sleep less. And this can have devastating consequences. One US study found that fatigue was responsible for 13 percent of workplace injuries. Sixteen percent of respondents also admitted to recently falling asleep at the wheel.
As if this weren’t enough, insufficient sleep is tied to a long list of potential health problems, from hypertension and stroke to mood disorders, obesity, and colorectal cancer. So getting quality sleep is essential.
Overtiredness – from lack of sleep or lack of rest – also affects your cognitive abilities. Exhaustion can cause memory lapses, trouble focusing, and impaired judgment. And tasks that might normally be a piece of cake can become much more difficult.
Adults aren’t the only ones suffering from too little rest. In UK schools, the last 20 years have seen break times eliminated to make more time for extra lessons. Today, only 1 percent of English secondary schools have an afternoon break, despite evidence indicating that breaks improve pupil concentration.
From baby boomers to millennials to Generation Z, we could all benefit from being more rested.
But here’s the thing: there’s only really one way to get sleep – by sleeping. Restfulness, on the other hand, can be found in many different activities while we’re awake.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Art of Rest?
Key ideas in The Art of Rest
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Art of Rest about?
The Art of Rest (2019) is a deep dive into the world of rest. It takes the results of the Rest Test, an online survey of over 18,000 people across 135 countries about rest, and uses those results as a starting point to examine which activities people find most restful, and why two-thirds of respondents felt they didn’t get enough rest. Drawing on scientific research, it investigates the ten most popular ways to rest, and the difficulties and proven benefits behind each restful activity.
The Art of Rest Review
The Art of Rest (2020) explores the science and psychology behind rest and why it is vital for our well-being. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Full of research-backed insights, it provides practical strategies for incorporating rest into our busy lives, helping us find balance and recharge.
- Combining personal stories, real-life examples, and interviews, the book offers a rich tapestry of perspectives on rest, making it relatable and relatable.
- With its focus on the importance of rest for creativity, productivity, and overall happiness, the book offers a fresh and compelling perspective on this often overlooked topic.
Best quote from The Art of Rest
It seems that having an eclectic musical taste might help us to relax better because, after all, we have a wide range of moods too.
—Claudia Hammond
Who should read The Art of Rest?
- Anyone interested in wellness
- Self-care enthusiasts
- People who enjoy spending time alone
Categories with The Art of Rest
Book summaries like The Art of Rest
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Art of Rest FAQs
What is the main message of The Art of Rest?
The main message of The Art of Rest is the importance of rest and its role in our well-being.
How long does it take to read The Art of Rest?
The reading time for The Art of Rest varies depending on the reader, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Art of Rest a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Art of Rest is a valuable book that provides insights on rest and its impact on our lives.
Who is the author of The Art of Rest?
The author of The Art of Rest is Claudia Hammond.
What to read after The Art of Rest?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Art of Rest, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee
- Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
- Pause by Rachael O’Meara
- All Work No Play by Dale Sidebottom
- The First 2 Hours by Donna McGeorge
- How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins
- The Joy of Missing Out by Tanya Dalton
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Drop the Ball by Tiffany Dufu
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker