Short Rest is not the problem or the answer. Long Rest is the problem. You can Long Rest whenever you could Short Rest so I'm not sure why SR even being discussed.
Larian stubbornly refuse to add any kinds of negative consequences for Long Resting at every turn, even on higher difficulties. All it takes is adding some random encounters if you rest in dangerous locations or frequently fast travel over long distances to a safe campsite. It makes you think before hitting that rest button and subsequently it makes you think if you really want to overkill enemies by spending all your spell slots after all.
This is also why the literal magical teleportation network for fast travel was a really poor idea. The runes should have been mundane waypoints, nothing more. A magical teleportation network with access points every 100m doesn't make any sense in the game world. It's more akin to breaking the fourth wall, having player convenience features as game world items only the player characters are aware of. They know these things exist only for them because a game needs a fast travel system.
Random encounters remains the only meaningful way to restrict Long Resting through increased strategic depth. Having to anticipate an extra fight in a hostile location is realistic and immersive, and rewards smart gameplay of not exerting yourself. But oh... what if the player has to fight an unwinnable fight with all their resources spent? Why do games need to be so convenient and lazy these days? Wasn't the idea to make the game harder in the first place, because it's too easy???
So.. first change the fast travel system into actual traveling that can be interrupted by enemies. Then add random encounters to resting in hostile locations. And just generally spawn some new location appropriate monsters to repopulate areas. Challenge is back in the game. World is a more exciting place with new dangers lurking everywhere. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
