Sleep is great. I try to get nine hours every night; that sounds worse on paper than it does in my head. Worse, as in, that’s one of the lamest things I’ve ever written.
For some reason, it seems to be trendy not to get a lot of sleep. Granted, it’s not possible for everyone to get nine hours a night for various reasons, but there’s something to be said about the lack of self-care that occurs when you don’t give your body time to recharge.
Humans need rest; coffee doesn’t replace that physiological necessity, even though an Americano makes you think this is totally possible.
Lately, with midterms coming and extracurriculars getting into their full swings of scheduling, it seems less likely that I’ll be getting my routine full night’s rest. Just listening to pre-class chatter affirms this experience is mutual. So why do I feel weird when I can’t usually relate to people who were up until 3 a.m.?
UNC has an atmosphere that makes a lot of people feel like they have to do it all and to the very extreme end of it. Sometimes it feels like if we are not pushing ourselves to our wit’s end then we aren’t truly doing our best. While pushing yourself to do your best is important (and a definitive quality of a UNC student), it also shouldn’t be a punishment.
Recently, a friend told me they wanted to be in bed by midnight at the earliest every night. Even though midnight is an earlier time than they are used to going to bed, it seemed like a great step in ensuring that they won’t run themselves ragged. I was also happy to know I’m not alone as someone who values her slumber.
I’m here to remind you that it’s OK to sleep. I’m not saying it’s OK to sleep through classes, but if you feel overrun, it’s perfectly acceptable to close your books, put your phone on silent and turn out the lights before midnight. It’s OK to reject the phrase, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
It’s OK to take care of yourself, even when it seems like everyone else can run on three hours of sleep and caffeine. You don’t have to make yourself just because dark circles seem to be the newest accessory. It’s okay to call it an early night when your body feels like it can’t take another round of last-minute biology exam flashcard reviews.
I know myself, and to me, my self-care is making sure I’ve slept enough. I can’t be my full self if I spent my night toiling over Twitter or homework I shouldn’t have put off. There are nights when sleeping the recommended hours isn’t possible, but when it comes down to it, it’s important to make rest a priority.
