{"id":28179,"date":"2016-04-01T12:14:09","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T16:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=28179"},"modified":"2016-04-01T12:23:30","modified_gmt":"2016-04-01T16:23:30","slug":"refuel-reflect-sleep-repeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2016\/04\/01\/refuel-reflect-sleep-repeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Refuel, Reflect, Sleep, Repeat."},"content":{"rendered":"Dear readers,\r\n\r\nThis is my final post of the semester and so I think it's fitting for me to dedicate this one to the life-force, the stronghold, the foundation of my health.\r\n\r\nExtra firm futon mattress, this one is for you.\r\n\r\n
\"20160401_091443\"<\/a>
My idea of a good night\u2026 REM cycles!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nMy bed is the location where I recuperate, where my body has a chance to regenerate, and where my mind rejuvenates. I spend 7-9 hours sleeping in my bed each night, and I am not ashamed of it.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s right, folks. I sleep enough! Often, it seems like in this rigorous academic environment, there is an unspoken competition among classmates to be the most sleep-deprived student. \u201cI slept 4 hours last night.\u201d \u201cLucky you, I slept 2.\u201d \u201cYou think that\u2019s bad? I pulled an all-nighter at Robarts.\u201d<\/em> So, in this bizarre game, who wins?\r\n\r\nSleep-deprivation turns into a weird and unwelcome badge of honour. I think we should work to change that culture as students. I think it\u2019s natural to be well-rested, and its commendable to carve time out of our days to give our bodies and brains rest.\r\n\r\nIf only there was a prompt on LinkedIn that could recommend you for sleeping enough\u2026.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSomehow, the value of sleep seems to dissipate in the face of other responsibilities. I would like to suggest that our priorities are severely misaligned when taking care of our bodies becomes an afterthought. I know at this point in the conversation\u00a0you may start to\u00a0feel defensive about your sleep habits. Maybe you\u2019re thinking, \u201cWhat does this chick know about my life? She couldn\u2019t possibly understand how busy I am!\u201d<\/em>\r\n\r\nFirst, let me say that we can still be friends, even if you're not sleeping enough. No judgement from me, I promise. I just hope you know that I think you are worth at least 7 hours of quality sleep a night.\r\n\r\nAlso, I know your struggle. I am also busy. I work (3) part time jobs, I volunteer on and off campus, I take a full course load, I spend time with people who bring me joy, and I frequent the gym and other wellness spaces daily.\r\n\r\nAnd my secret is not that I am superhuman. It\u2019s simply that I am well-rested, I take breaks, and I try to constantly check in on what my body needs to sustain my lifestyle. Part of my learning curve this year has been focusing on embracing fewer responsibilities, asking for support and guidance, and giving myself permission to drop the ball every once and a while.\r\n\r\n\"20160401_120429\"\r\n\r\nSometimes, this means closing my laptop when I am halfway through a reading, to be in bed before my bedtime (Yes, and then I wake up naturally every morning at the same time!). Other times, I sleep in really late on a Saturday and I miss my morning weight lifting class (because my bed is warm and comfortable and I'd rather not lift heavy things over my head). Frequently, I take a mid-afternoon nap because I know those are 20 minutes well spent. I take cues from my body, and when my body and I are in sync, my waking hours are productive.\r\n\r\nI interviewed my buddy Conor<\/a>\u00a0two weeks ago, and he stressed the importance of sleep after personally experiencing a week without sleep at Basic Training for the Canadian Navy. Not only is our ability to function the next day compromised when we are sleepy but being sleep deprived is extremely detrimental to the body in the\u00a0long term.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s like that Snickers Commercial. You\u2019re not you when you\u2019re exhausted.\r\n\r\nAlso, this funny commercial.\r\n\r\n