The Role of Rest and Recovery in Veterinary Medicine

Rest is something that many of us in veterinary medicine struggle with.

Not because we don’t need it. Not because we don’t understand its importance. But because somewhere along the way, many of us learned that rest must be earned.

We live in a profession that rewards dedication, sacrifice, and showing up—even when we are tired, overwhelmed, or running on empty. We are trained to prioritize patients, clients, and our teams. We are taught to push through, to be resilient, to keep going.

But what happens when “keeping going” becomes our default setting?

For many of us, rest can feel uncomfortable. Almost unnatural.

My Personal Struggle With Rest

I have struggled with this for much of my life. For me, idleness has often felt synonymous with laziness. Resting on the couch, taking a nap, or spending time doing something simply because it brings me joy can trigger feelings of guilt. A little voice in my head starts asking: Shouldn’t you be doing something? Shouldn’t you be productive?

I have often found myself caught in the trap of constant doing, rather than allowing myself the space to simply be.

And yet, my recent return to veterinary practice as a locum emergency veterinarian and critical care specialist has been a powerful reminder of just how essential rest truly is.

After a 12+ hour emergency shift—especially during swings or overnight shifts—rest is not optional. It is not a luxury. It is a physiological necessity.

When I don’t allow myself adequate recovery time, my body lets me know. I develop migraines. I feel physically unwell. I become more irritable and less patient. I notice that I don’t have the same emotional capacity for my family, my colleagues, or myself.

My body is not failing me by asking for rest. It is communicating what it needs.

Rest Is More Than Sleep

When we refer to rest, many of us immediately think about sleep. And sleep is absolutely foundational. It allows our brains and bodies to repair, consolidate memories, regulate emotions, and restore energy. But rest is much broader than sleep alone.

Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Dan Siegel introduced the concept of the “Healthy Mind Platter,” a framework that describes the different types of daily activities our brains need for optimal wellbeing. While it was not created specifically for veterinary professionals, it offers a helpful reminder that true restoration comes from balance. Rest can take many forms:

Physical Rest

Physical rest is what most of us think about first: sleeping, lying down, taking a nap, or simply allowing the body to recover.

For veterinary professionals, this is particularly important because our work can be physically demanding. We stand for long hours, restrain patients, lift equipment, perform procedures, and work shifts that disrupt our natural rhythms.

Physical rest might mean sleeping after an overnight shift. It might mean stretching, taking a gentle walk, practicing yoga, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea. It means recognizing that our bodies are not machines.

Mental Rest

Mental rest is the opportunity to allow our minds to slow down.

Veterinary medicine requires constant decision-making, problem-solving, and vigilance. During a busy shift, our brains are continuously assessing risk, prioritizing cases, communicating with clients, and anticipating what might happen next. When we leave work, our bodies may be home—but our minds can still be at the clinic.

Mental rest might involve intentionally creating boundaries around work conversations, turning off notifications, journaling, meditating, reading for pleasure, or engaging in activities that allow the brain to shift gears. Sometimes, mental rest is simply giving ourselves permission not to solve anything for a while.

Emotional Rest

Emotional rest is especially important in veterinary medicine because our work requires us to care for others. We witness suffering. We support grieving families. We navigate challenging conversations. We carry the emotional weight of difficult decisions.

Emotional rest comes from having spaces where we don’t have to be the strong one.

It may look like spending time with people who allow us to be fully ourselves. It may mean talking with trusted colleagues, seeking support when things feel heavy, or allowing ourselves to acknowledge difficult emotions rather than immediately moving on.

Social Rest

Social rest is about connection—but also about recognizing that different relationships affect our energy differently. Some connections restore us. Others drain us.

After demanding shifts, especially in emergency practice, I often need quiet time before I can fully reconnect with others. That isn’t a rejection of people I care about; it is recognizing what my nervous system needs.

Social rest might mean spending time with loved ones, connecting with friends who make you laugh, or simply creating moments of solitude.

Creative and Playful Rest

Many veterinary professionals are deeply driven and achievement-oriented. We care deeply about our work, but sometimes our lives become overly focused on productivity and responsibility. 

Creative rest and play remind us that we are more than our profession. This might look like painting, gardening, cooking, playing music, exploring nature, reading, crafting, or engaging in hobbies that have no purpose beyond enjoyment.

Not everything we do needs to be productive. Some things are valuable simply because they bring us joy.

Prioritizing Rest in Veterinary Medicine

The challenge with rest is that many of us wait until we are completely depleted before we allow ourselves to recover. Instead, we need to begin viewing rest as part of sustainable veterinary practice.

Rest is not something we do after we have burned ourselves out. Rest is something that helps prevent burnout in the first place.

For veterinary professionals, prioritizing rest might mean:

• Protecting recovery time after demanding shifts rather than immediately filling the space with obligations.
• Creating boundaries around work communication when we are off duty.
• Scheduling rest the same way we schedule appointments, meetings, and continuing education.
• Recognizing that different seasons of life require different types and amounts of rest.
• Challenging the belief that productivity determines our worth.
• Giving ourselves permission to do less.

Over the years, I have gone on retreats to intentionally disconnect from the demands of daily life and reconnect with myself. I have even facilitated retreats designed to help others slow down, reflect, and restore.

And yet, despite teaching about wellbeing and recognizing the importance of recovery, I still struggle with rest. Maybe that is because rest is not something we simply learn once. It is a practice.

A practice of listening to our bodies. A practice of recognizing our limits. A practice of remembering that we are human beings—not human doings.

Veterinary medicine requires so much of us. Our compassion, our knowledge, our energy, our presence. But to continue showing up for the animals, clients, and teams we care about, we must also learn how to show up for ourselves.

Rest is not laziness. Rest is not wasted time. Rest is part of the work. It is part of caring. And ultimately, it is part of creating a veterinary profession where we can not only survive—but truly thrive.