Seeking Rest: New Yorkers Embrace “Rest Club”

In the quest for relaxation, a new trend is emerging among burnt-out Gen Z and Millennial New Yorkers. All that’s asked of participants? To kick off their shoes, spread out on a blanket, and simply do nothing.

In a world obsessed with productivity, many young adults are experiencing fatigue. Some are even taking gap years to recharge, while others find themselves napping in movie theaters during lunch breaks or shedding tears in unexpected corners of the city just to cope.

Mary Simonet, a 31-year-old Reiki practitioner and sound bath facilitator from Brooklyn, has stepped in to offer relief through her initiative known as “club rest area,” a free “rest club” aimed at helping city dwellers unplug and find moments of tranquility.

On a warm Sunday in late June, around 40 participants gathered in Central Park. They engaged in meditation, enjoyed a sound bath, practiced breathing techniques, and perhaps most remarkably, lay quietly together—guilt-free—in this fast-paced city.

“A lot of people are fatigued,” Simonet mentioned.

For those passing by, the sight of nearly 50 people on the grass starkly contrasted with the usual frenetic atmosphere of Midtown.

While the sounds of taxi horns and sirens echoed in the background, the calm vibes created by Simonet’s crystals and Tibetan singing bowls provided a soothing soundtrack to drown out the city’s chaos.

Viviana Laurent, who just moved from Los Angeles, found the peaceful gathering a much-needed respite while settling into the city. “I follow sound bath events regularly. A friend invited me to this one, and it was really calming,” she shared.

Another participant, Ze Rose Mun, expressed that the constant buzz of the city makes it hard to simply pause and be present. “Today, I realized how challenging it is to just lie down and tune into a sound bath without feeling like I should be doing something else,” Mun reflected.

“It’s hard to quiet the mind, but I learned how important it is to give yourself time to really rest,” she added, noting how many young people might not even know how to switch off.

Spotting Simonet’s outreach, interest in the club surged, and her promotion went viral, attracting hundreds looking for a break from their busy lives. Many took to TikTok to express their eagerness to join the rest club. Comments poured in, with individuals pleading for spots and stating their need for such moments of reprieve.

Simonet, who hails from a family of healers, aims to create a safe haven where rest is normalized rather than shamed. “Rest often carries guilt, but at Club Rest Stop, the first rule is to lie down,” she said.

Having spent years helping burnt-out clients in the entertainment sector, Simonet realized many lacked the knowledge of how to rest effectively. Previous generations often equate lying down with laziness, but she disagrees: truly recuperating is vital for mental well-being.

Misconceptions abound regarding rest; people often think it equates to just sleep or requires lavish spa retreats. Instead, Simonet encourages even a few minutes of downtime before stressful tasks or after hectic days.

After merely five weeks of promoting her club online, more than 700 people have expressed interest in learning more.

Simonet plans to host monthly gatherings in local parks, aiming to provide essential breaks. During the event, attendees were introduced to Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith’s concept of seven types of rest, emphasizing that burnout cannot be tackled solely with sleep.

The atmosphere drew curious onlookers who eventually joined in, lying on the grass and participating in the sound bath.

At the conclusion, Simonet expressed gratitude for attendees’ commitment to resting, reinforcing that rest enhances energy and makes individuals better friends and people.

She hopes participants will take away practical techniques to incorporate into their routines. “Even a mere five minutes can make a difference,” she noted, suggesting people allocate time for breathwork or relaxation before stressors arise.

Brooklyn locals are eager for Club Rest Stop events to branch out, hoping to transform park meetups into coworking spaces and more community gatherings.

Simonet encourages city residents to take the needed breaks they often feel they weren’t taught to take. “In a city that never sleeps, that’s simply unsustainable,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of rest in maintaining humanity in an increasingly automated world.