Tuesday, June 25, 2013

TED Tuesday: Get More Sleep

Ladies, what do you think about joining me in my mission to sleep my way to the top?


And by sleeping I really do mean getting the best night's rest possible, no strings attached.


I love this TED Talk because it glorifies one of the most wonderful things Dan and I cherish on weeknights and weekends -some quality Zz's.


Through college, I lived off of short naps and craved those long weekends where I could shut down my brain and re-group on my sleep. I wasn't losing sleep because I was out having a great time, I was losing sleep because my day was full of classes and practice and my part-time job.


At that point in my life I didn't have any other time to cram in my homework other than in the ugly hours of the night. I'd force myself to stay awake by doing laundry at 1am, brewing coffee, setting an alarm for every 40 minutes, just in case I accidentally fell asleep while cramming for my next big exam. I'd hunt out the best late night coffee shops and would even become a regular at these places, occasionally scoring a cute guy's phone number out of the deal who was the same kind of 'crazy' that I was.


Because I was still successful and "able to function" with this snooze schedule, I fooled myself into believing that little sleep made me highly productive. It was a poor illusion that I had where I truly believed that those who slept in on weekends, didn't take 8am classes and didn't have bags under their eyes were fools for all the hours they were missing out on.


No Sleep Til' Brooklyn was my jam.


As I've grown older I understand and appreciate the beauty and benefit from a wonderful night's rest. My skin looks better, my eyes are brighter, I'm enthusiastic, I'm driven and all the way around I'm an easier person to communicate with. As a Type A woman driven to make a difference in my world, sleep deprivation is my very worst enemy and Dan's done a great job of getting me into that routine. We are in bed by 9pm most nights and still get 7-8 hours, depending on whether we decide to run or rest in the morning.


More sleep, less caffeine, better decisions and healthier outlook. It's easy.


So thanks for the great reminder, Arianna. We could all use a better night's rest and an opportunity to shut down our engines.


[ted id=1044]


TED Talks: Ideas Worth Spreading


heart JE

4 comments

Marisa @ Uproot from Oregon said...

Sleeping is my jam! I get in bed by 10 pm most nights and get around 8 hours of sleep. I have to get that much otherwise I'm reaaaal cranky! I have a busy week coming up with friends and my mom visiting Denver, so I'm unsure yet how I'll fit in exercise, sleep, etc! It's hard when you have to keep other people busy and your routine gets switched up.

brooke lyn said...

yes please. love me some sleep. went to bed at 9:15 last night :)

Leah said...

I love Ted talks! As we are temporily staying at my folks, only a few more days!, I have noticed I am drinking more coffee & sleeping less and I can definitely notice the difference. Sleep is so important!

motormouthstudios said...

I have been working on better sleep over the last year, and have reaped SO MANY benefits from it! I still have my moments, but for the most part I'm in bed by 10 by the latest and get a minimum of 7.5 hours of quality rest. I've also started giving in if I feel like I need a nap or a few extra hours sleep (if I have the time) and that has helped immensely. I've noticed my hair and nails are stronger and healthier and my skin is clearer and more radiant. All awesome!