“Make sure you’re getting enough sleep!!!” your mother yells to you right before you hang up the phone. “Oh, if only” you say to yourself.
Sleep is such a necessity in everyday success; however, it is usually the first thing people sacrifice when it comes down to getting something done. Not often do you catch people saying “oh, I just won’t go out tonight so I can do this work”. Instead, it’s “Ok, I’ll go out, come back around 1, then pull an all nighter to get this assignment done”.
Hate to bust your bubble of what you think is productive and efficient, but skipping out on sleep is not the answer. Everyone should be getting enough sleep, for the following reasons:
It keeps you from being irritable.
As if it wasn’t hard enough living on a college campus with thousands of teenagers and young adults surrounding you, not getting enough sleep leads you to be more irritable. So while someone bumping into you on your way to class was simple a mistake, you may find yourself tempted to yell:
It could save you from a meltdown.
We ALL know the I-haven’t-gotten-enough-sleep-and-I’m-so-stressed breakdown. Everything is worse when you are running are 2 hours of sleep, especially that test score you just got back. Do yourself a favor and get more sleep; it will prevent you from locking yourself away in your room.
Lack of sleep makes you more emotional.
A small argument with your friends is something that you usually would find a solution to and get over. But not when you’re over tired. Everything is suddenly a huge deal and it is hard to hold in the tears when you have gotten so little sleep.
You’re on edge.
You’re not usually a mean person, but after getting no sleep, you for some reason have more guts than usual. As they say, misery loves company. So while you’re struggling through your day due to lack of sleep you may be more inclined than usual to speak your mind.
You’re not sporting the look good-feel good-do good look.
As much as you don’t feel good after not getting any sleep, other people can see it in you as well. The way you carry yourself when you’re exhausted is very noticeable. And as we all know, impressions are important. Follow Honey Boo Boo’s advice and get your beauty sleep.
You’re bound to crash
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but sooner than later you’re going to hit the wall- and you’re going to hit it hard. Be prepared to fall on your bed (or your desk) after a long couple of days and not be able to wake up. No matter how hard they try, nobody will be able to shake you out of your heavenly state.
And when you do get enough sleep…
It is like being in a new world when you get enough sleep for once. You are way happier, people seem nicer and the sky even looks bluer. So start treating yourself to the suggested eight hours of sleep a night and be ready to see major differences in your everyday life.
