Lifestyle medicine expert warns of ‘fake rest’ causing fatigue

Lifestyle medicine expert Dr. Hande Namal Türkyılmaz has identified a phenomenon known as ‘fake rest’ (Just Rest) as a primary cause of chronic fatigue. This occurs when individuals attempt to recover from work weeks by engaging in passive activities like watching television or scrolling through social media.

While these activities appear physically inactive, they subject the brain to constant new stimuli, frequent dopamine spikes, and blue light exposure. This continuous information processing prevents the nervous system from truly relaxing, instead keeping the body in a sympathetic ‘fight or flight’ state. True rest requires sending a conscious ‘we are safe’ signal to the nervous system rather than merely remaining physically still.