TOO SLEEPY
In yesterday’s post I talked about sleeping when playing hooky. That’s all fine and good if you want to take a time out. But, there’s one aspect of this which can lead to serious consequences, particularly if our stress level is on super-high alert.
In that state, one time out nap can easily lead to a second, then a third, and continue until apathy leads to depression. When that happens, sleeping ceases to be a friend and instead becomes the enemy. This is one form of sleep to avoid.
It starts out innocently enough, but then can sneak up, infiltrating with stealth. For me, it generally starts with a simple feeling of exhaustion, which I may fight at first, but then succumb to it. So, I lay down for a nap or go to bed early, maybe not even thinking much about it. Then, after what should be a refreshing slumber, I wake up still groggy. And the tell-tale clue is that I don’t want to get up.
I should be aware enough to catch this clue and start examining why I’m inclined to drift back to sleep immediately upon waking. Sometimes it’s as simple as wanting to avoid facing a situation that’s unpleasant. Other times it’s several events and/or issues I’ve neglected that gang up to steal my enthusiasm. Instead of waking up grateful, apathy covers me like the blanket wrapped around my body, lulling me back to sleep. Therefore I avoid the reality of consciousness. This lack of gratefulness and overriding apathy should be my second clue.
If I have a handle on the situation, I’ll jump up, shake off my lack of enthusiasm and go do some yoga. The slow, reflective poses in yoga often provide a safe harbor where the source of my unhappiness can reveal itself safely. Hunched over in child’s pose, I might just break down, releasing anxiety with a refreshing cry. (And this type of crying is good. For an explanation of why, please read my post Cry Cry Baby.)
Another useful tool is to go for a brisk walk, jog through the park, or any aerobic exercise that elevates the heart rate for at least 20 minutes. This floods my system with endorphins, which are the body’s natural reserve of anti-depressives. Endorphins kick-start a feeling of euphoria. It temporarily holds anxiety at bay, giving me a respite where I can put into perspective whatever demons are trying to take possession of my emotions. It gives me a chance to regroup.
But if I let the opportunity pass to nip this in the buds, it gives depression free rein to infiltrate. It then claims a stake on my psyche. After that, I might just pull the covers over my head and slip back into sleep. Any excessive sleep patterns occurring when I’m not physically sick or exhausted from physical exertion are definite signs of depression. And the longer I let that sleep control me, the harder it is to break free of its insidious hold.
So, sleep is a good thing. It’s needed by our bodies to keep us healthy and as an aid in recovery when we’re sick. It can even be a special treat when we simply need to push away the world for a time out. However, it can become our enemy when it drains us of our enthusiasm.
Like any other aspect of life, balance is the key. Paying attention to the patterns of our sleep is important to maintain both physical and mental health.
If you're enjoying this over coffee, tea, or whatever, please consider buying me a cup!DIETS
Okay, I’ll admit it. I put on about ten pounds over the Holidays. Too much eggnog, pies, cookies, and spiral-sliced ham. This always happens and some of it is necessary. It’s my winter fat. Without the additional blubber, I’d have to hibernate until Spring.
So I can stand to lose a few pounds. But I dislike those messages from the media urging people to buy their product to quickly lose tonnage. The best weight loss comes from eating the right foods, in the right quantities, over a long period of time. It’s that simple. That’s why fad diets or doing 100 miles on the treadmill you usually use as a clothes rack, will fail.
Have you ever noticed that it’s the people who don’t need to lose weight that worry about it the most? I have a friend who wears a size 0. And she complains about gaining weight. What size would she zoom up to anyway — a size 2?
It’s been ingrained in our modern society to associate attractiveness, success, and wealth with ratios of body fat. On a sliding scale, we gain more of the former when we have less of the latter. That’s just a bunch of hooey.
Being fat, overweight or rotund has been in and out of fashion. It was in fashion when people didn’t get enough to eat. The most desirable individuals were usually the ones with the most body fat. It connoted health and fertility. Why do you think Neolithic females were depicted as hefty in clay figurines? Because hefty women bred more and made better babies, that’s why.
At the other end of the scale, being skinny is desirable because it’s easier to bulk up when it comes to clothes. Skinny folk fit through doors better and only need one airline seat. Having a thin body has great descriptive adjectives associated with it, like “willowy” or “reedy”. On the other hand, really skinny people look boney and act irritable. Well, like duh — they’re hungry.
Of course, standards of body fat have always been more rigorously applied to women rather than men. The implication is that heavy women are not attractive or desirable. It’s not true, and a woman’s weight is not what predicts success in relationships. A large bank account may.
Somehow, the myth persists that women need to attract a man. I hate to break it to you sister, but being attracted to women is a built-in male need (unless the guy is not heterosexual). It’s right up there with food and football. You just have to go out there and grab the guy you want — make your interest known. Nine times out of ten I guarantee those male hormones will kick in and he’ll lumber after you like a tame grizzly.
It’s attracting the attention you want that’s more difficult. And even there, you know it isn’t all about looks. You can have the figure of an underfed model, apply the right eyeliner, dress smartly, have a great career and finances, and still find yourself facing divorce number five.
Rigorous science has proved, time and time again, that female choice is the driving force in relationships — not male. A female bird chooses the male who brings her the best twigs or ruffles her feathers in just the right way. A male deer may follow a receptive female around during mating season. But she won’t let him do his thing unless she’s ready and he’s demonstrated his superior strength and endurance. Not that he needs that during the act itself, which is extremely brief.
If you're enjoying this over coffee, tea, or whatever, please consider buying me a cup!
