The 5 Types of Rest Every Expat Needs, and How to Finally Feel Recharged Abroad

When most people think of rest, they think of sleep. But if you’ve ever lived abroad, you know there are nights you wake up just as tired as when you went to bed.

It’s not that you didn’t rest… it’s that you didn’t get the right kind of rest.

Because living abroad isn’t just a physical journey. It’s an emotional marathon, a mental puzzle, a sensory overload, and sometimes… a social sprint you never signed up for.

And yet, most expats still treat exhaustion as a personal failure:

“Maybe I’m just not adapting fast enough.”

“Maybe I’m not strong enough for this.”

“Maybe everyone else is managing better.”

The truth? You might not need to try harder. You might just need to rest differently.

So let’s look at the five types of rest every expat needs, and how to actually get enough of each one.

Photo by Sam Lion

1. Physical Rest: Slowing Down in a City That Never Stops

Moving abroad changes how you use your body, often in ways you don’t expect.

Suddenly you’re walking more (those cobblestone streets add up). You’re carrying groceries upstairs because there’s no elevator. You’re navigating new transport systems, new time zones, new mattresses.

Even small adjustments, like standing in a queue trying to understand what’s happening, drain your energy faster than before.

That’s why physical rest abroad isn’t just about sleeping. It’s about recalibrating your rhythm.

How to find it:

• Create an evening ritual that signals your body it’s time to slow down: herbal tea, light stretch, soft music.

• Schedule “nothing” days. Literally block them off in your calendar.

• Explore active rest: yoga, slow walks, Pilates. Moving gently helps you recover faster.

• And if you’re in a city like Paris or Lisbon, use the weekends to rest outdoors. Sometimes nature does what a nap can’t.

Remember: You don’t have to earn rest. Your body is your home base, take care of it like you do your passport.

2. Mental Rest: The Constant Translation Fatigue

Mental exhaustion is one of the most overlooked symptoms of expat life.

Think about it: You’re thinking, speaking, translating, decoding, and adapting… all at once. Even buying milk requires mental effort. You’re constantly absorbing new information: bureaucracy, language, culture, bills, social cues.

Your brain becomes a full-time interpreter, and that constant vigilance burns energy faster than physical activity ever could.

That’s why mental rest is essential.

How to find it:

• Set “no decision” windows in your day. For one hour, stop making micro-decisions. Let your brain breathe.

• Try mindfulness walks, without your phone or Google Maps. Just wander.

• Write or journal in your native language. It gives your mind a rest from translation.

• Switch from input to output: instead of consuming information, express something, paint, write, cook, dance.

Mental rest isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about giving your brain permission to stop performing.

3. Emotional Rest: The Hidden Toll of Holding It All Together

Here’s something few people tell you before moving abroad: Even when everything looks fine, great apartment, new job, cute cafés, your emotions can feel like a rollercoaster.

You’re constantly balancing excitement and loss. Pride and guilt. Joy and homesickness. And yet, when someone back home asks, “So how’s life in France?” you smile and say, “It’s great!”

That’s emotional exhaustion.

It’s what happens when your inner experience doesn’t match the story you think you’re supposed to tell.

How to find it:

• Allow yourself to drop the mask with someone you trust, a friend, mentor, or therapist.

• Name your emotions out loud. (“I feel lonely today” is more powerful than you think.)

• Give yourself permission to grieve what you left behind; even if you chose to leave.

• Start emotional check-ins: once a week, ask “What do I need today that I’m not giving myself?”

Emotional rest isn’t indulgence. It’s honesty, with yourself first.

4. Social Rest: Choosing Who You Recharge With

When you first move abroad, everyone tells you:

“Put yourself out there!”

“Meet new people!”

“Say yes to everything!”

So you do.

And suddenly, you’re going to every event, joining every group, accepting every invitation, and wondering why you feel more drained than connected.

That’s social exhaustion.

The truth is, not every interaction fills you up.

Some people give energy. Others take it.

And that’s okay, as long as you know the difference.

How to find it:

• Practice saying no without guilt. “Thanks, I’ll sit this one out” is a full sentence.

• Spend time with people who let you be your real self,  not your “perfect expat” version.

• Balance social expansion (meeting new people) with social restoration (time alone or with loved ones).

• Schedule quiet connection: dinners with one close friend, long phone calls with family, or even volunteering with locals.

Social rest is about alignment, not isolation.

5. Sensory Rest: Calming an Overstimulated Mind

Living abroad means your senses are constantly on alert. New sounds, new smells, new architecture, new faces, new languages, new everything.

And while it’s exciting, it’s also overstimulating.

Cities like Paris, Madrid, or London never stop moving, and neither does your nervous system.

Without sensory rest, even small tasks can feel overwhelming.

How to find it:

• Limit screen time. (Your phone is another country screaming for your attention.)

• Create micro-moments of calm: morning coffee without distractions, music-free walks, or simply staring out your window.

• Use grounding tools: essential oils, slow breathing, or light stretches.

• Find “quiet corners” in your city, parks, libraries, art galleries. Silence is medicine for the senses.

Sensory rest reminds your system that it’s safe. And only when you feel safe can you truly thrive abroad.

Rest Isn’t a Luxury. It’s How You Adapt

Rest is not what you do after you burn out.

It’s how you prevent burnout from happening in the first place.

As an expat, your body, mind, and emotions are constantly adjusting. Every day is a blend of growth and micro-stress. But rest, real, multidimensional rest, is what helps you integrate all those experiences instead of getting lost in them.

So the next time you feel “tired for no reason,” don’t push harder. Check which type of rest you’ve been skipping.

Because the secret to a fulfilling life abroad isn’t constant motion. It’s knowing when to pause.

You didn’t move abroad just to live differently.

You moved abroad to feel alive.

And that begins with rest.