Thank you very much for your reply.

This might sound like a strange question, and maybe not one I can reasonably ask of anyone else. That said -- how can I determine what "rest" genuinely means for me? As opposed to what I would like it to mean?

I enjoy Civ, but that might be for the dopamine kick it delivers, so I'm not sure if it has the beneficial effects you describe. I also enjoy reading, but that feels more like lifting than recovery.

And I've indeed tried meditation, and indeed not found it easy!