Here\u2019s what recovery research says about how to achieve real rest in the age of 24\/7 connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n
Access hotel pools, spas, and resort amenities by the day. No overnight stay required.<\/p>\n Browse ResortPass<\/a>\n <\/div>\n You\u2019re not imagining it. Eagle Hill Consulting\u2019s 2025 workforce survey<\/a> found that 55% of U.S. workers report burnout, and it tends to peak as the year winds down and unused PTO starts to feel urgent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual response is to take a day and do nothing. That\u2019s the logic behind bed rotting, the social media habit of spending an entire day in bed with snacks and a screen. At first, it feels like rest. You can shut out the pressures of the \u201creal world\u201d and put your brain on a shelf. The trouble is that a phone in bed keeps you tethered to the same inputs you\u2019re trying to escape. You\u2019re horizontal, but your brain never clocks out\u2014the email app is right there<\/em>, and so are the dirty dishes, and the unfolded laundry, and the suitcase you never fully unpacked\u2014which is why so many days off end with that strange, wired kind of exhaustion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psychologists who study rest have a useful framework for identifying the components of a relaxing day. In the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology<\/em>, Sonnentag and Fritz (2007)<\/a> identified four experiences that help people recover from work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good day off hits most of those four. A day spent half-answering Slack hits none of them. Where you spend the day<\/strong> matters, too. A study in Scientific Reports<\/em> (White et al., 2019<\/a>) of nearly 20,000 people in England found that those who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature were more likely to report good health and high well-being. It didn\u2019t matter whether that time came in one long outing or several short ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warm water helps, too. In a randomized crossover trial published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine<\/em> (Goto et al., 2018<\/a>), 38 adults who took 10-minute baths in water around 104\u00b0F (40\u00b0C) reported less fatigue and stress and better mood than when they only showered. This is only one modality: we\u2019ve also broken down the benefits of hydrotherapy<\/a> and what regular sauna use does for you<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making a plan in the morning usually leaves you feeling stressed about how much (or little) time you have left, and leads you back to a default pattern\u2014which is usually errands. Instead, pick one anchor activity for the day (a spa pass, a hike, a long lunch) and book it the night before. Let everything else stay loose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Already, you\u2019ve nailed one of the four key elements to recovery mentioned above: control over the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Home is full of reminders of unfinished work. Changing your physical setting is the fastest route to psychological detachment, which is why a daycation<\/a> at a resort property or spa often feels longer than a lazy Saturday on the couch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t need a full digital detox<\/a>, just friction. Leave it in a locker, turn off work notifications, or give yourself two set times to check it. Skip the smart watch for a day. Power off your laptop so work isn\u2019t humming in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A soaking pool, hot tub, or thermal circuit is a research-backed fast track to relaxation. If you\u2019re in a warm climate, or you\u2019re up for a jolt of energy, try alternating heat with a cool shower or cold plunge. Contrast therapy can unlock even greater benefits than heat alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is mastery, the third element to relaxation. Pick something that challenges you without feeling overwhelming or like a whole production. Something like a yoga class, a new hiking trail, or even a guided meditation. A small challenge outside your job resets your attention better than another hour of scrolling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Book the morning and protect the rest. A long lunch, a nap on a lounger, or a few mindfulness exercises<\/a> by the pool all count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Need a few ideas for how to relax on a day off? Here are some of our favorite ResortPass properties for spending your unused PTO:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aire Ancient Baths Chicago<\/strong><\/a>, Chicago, IL: The Ultimate Bath Spa Pass gives you 120 minutes of self-guided thermal bathing across pools set at different temperatures, plus a scrub to use while you soak. It\u2019s one of our picks for Chicago spa deals<\/a> and a favorite for hydrotherapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Spa at Equinox Hotel, Hudson Yards<\/strong><\/a>, New York, NY: The Spa Pass cycles you through dry saunas, an infrared sauna and cryotherapy, which makes it an efficient reset on a weekday off in Manhattan. It\u2019s also on our list of places for a digital detox<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miraval Austin<\/strong><\/a>, Austin, TX: The Relax and Renew Escape Package includes the twin infinity pools, spa facilities and unlimited yoga and fitness classes, so you can cover relaxation and mastery in one day. Miraval is another of our digital detox picks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glen Ivy Hot Springs<\/strong><\/a>, Temescal Valley, CA: A day pass covers 19 therapeutic mineral pools, Club Mud, the Roman Baths, saunas and a labyrinth across the grounds. It\u2019s a full day outdoors, and one of the spots in our spa daycation guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carillon Miami Wellness Resort<\/strong><\/a>, Miami Beach, FL: The Spa Day Pass includes the thermal hydrotherapy circuit, and the resort has beach access for when you\u2019re ready to be outside. Carillon made our list of the best spas in the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa<\/strong><\/a>, Scottsdale, AZ: Book a Spa Pass at Agave, The Arizona Spa, or reserve a lounger at the adults-only Aguamiel Pool. Scottsdale in fall is warm without being punishing, and Kierland is one of our digital detox picks<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not near any of these? Our guide to staycation ideas<\/a> has more ways to make a day close to home feel like time away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Treat rest as part of the work cycle, not a break from it. Recovery research links psychological detachment from work to better well-being, so a day off that restores you makes the next workday easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aim for the four recovery experiences: detach from work, do something relaxing, try something mildly challenging, and choose your own schedule. A spa day pass, time outdoors or a new class all fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An occasional slow morning in bed is fine. A full day on your phone tends to keep your brain engaged with work and news, so most people feel better after getting outside or into warm water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A full day helps, but small doses add up. In one large study, people who spent at least 120 minutes a week in nature reported better well-being, whether that time came in one block or several.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. A randomized trial found that 10-minute warm-water baths around 104\u00b0F (40\u00b0C) improved fatigue, stress and mood compared with showering. A thermal circuit or hot tub offers a similar effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eagle Hill Consulting. (2025). More than half of U.S. workers report burnout, new Eagle Hill research finds. https:\/\/www.eaglehillconsulting.com\/news\/workforce-burnout-survey-2025\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Goto, Y., Hayasaka, S., Kurihara, S., & Nakamura, Y. (2018). Physical and mental effects of bathing: A randomized intervention study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine<\/em>, 2018, 9521086. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1155\/2018\/9521086<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2007). The Recovery Experience Questionnaire: Development and validation of a measure for assessing recuperation and unwinding from work. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology<\/em>, 12(3), 204\u2013221. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/1076-8998.12.3.204<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhy your usual day off doesn\u2019t feel restful<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWhat the research says about recovery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow to relax on a day off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Decide the plan the night before:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Get out of the house before noon:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Make your phone inconvenient:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Get in warm water:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Try something new (and low-key):<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Leave the afternoon unscheduled:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhere to spend your next day off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow to relax on a day off: FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How do I relax on a day off without feeling guilty?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What should I do on a day off to recharge?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is bed rotting a good way to relax?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How long should a day off be to feel rested?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can a spa day help you relax?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSources cited<\/h2>\n\n\n\n