Sleeping is a Gateway Drug for Being Awake

By sawaboof - Posted on April 15th, 2008

I think it was the second semester of my sophomore year of college that I mastered the art of successfully pulling an all-nighter (or more than one—in a row.). I won’t go into that here, though. Purposely avoiding sleep is not the smartest thing in the world, and I won’t be responsible for making it easier for all of you to accomplish.

I will tell you why it became necessary for me to sacrifice my beloved REM cycles.

You see, I’m a horrible procrastinator, especially when it came to one particular assignment I had.

Write a 12 page paper explaining the similarities and differences between the Phoenix Health Care system and the Boston Health Care System.

For the longest time (whole days), I couldn’t even begin to sort through my research papers on the topic. Just thinking about the topic bored me to the point where the only productive thing I could do was take a walk to Cold Stone to apologize to myself for even considering starting this demoralizing task.

The days went by, 16 articles lay untouched on my desk, along with a half-assed attempt at an introduction paragraph that had been due as proof I was working on this assignment (Hah! I fooled them!). Eventually I realized my paper was due in 3 days.

At this point of time I thank my preferred deity that I do good work under the stress of an imminent deadline. I pulled a couple all-nighters using my super secret (caffeine-free) methods, and I got an A.

So, sometimes, a little bit of stress is a good thing, yes?

Maybe. It really depends on how well you respond to it.

I used this particular stress to be productive. Someone else may have procrastinated themselves into crying in a corner, frantically reading through articles they can’t calm down enough to comprehend enough to put into an essay.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t actually thrive on every stressor that enters my life. Public speaking reduces me to a shaking, muttering mess. And my father’s death, well, I didn’t really handle that at all. I just sort of turned off my feelings for a while. Six years later, and I’m still working on opening up to the most important, and trusted people in my life.

So, for some stressors, my stress tolerance is high, for others, it is non-existent. I’m sure it’s more or less the same for nearly everyone.

In small doses, stress is good. It can increase energy, and make you more alert. Unfortunately, stress doesn’t always come in small doses and, the bigger the stressor, the less likely you are to handle it positively.

Stress affects people physically, emotionally, and mentally. It can cause relationship problems. It can lead to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse. It causes digestive problems, impedes your immune system, triggers asthma attacks, and causes ulcers, heartburn, migraines, skin problems—too much stress is not good.

So, how can you deal with stress?

Well, I suppose in an ideal world you could just avoid stressful situations. But let’s pretend, just for a little while, that we don’t live in an ideal world, and we can’t always avoid things we know will stress us out.

A support system of friends and family is always handy to have. Just be sure you use your support system.

Know where your stress is coming from. If you can, remove yourself from the situation (argument, assignment(s), bills, etc.) and take a time out to sit and think about how you are going to deal with it. Or calm down until you are able to think about how to deal with it.

Ways to alleviate stress:

Exercise

Read a book.

Watch T.V.

Go for a walk.

Do something artistic.

Listen to music.

Deep breathing

Yoga

Meditation

Take a nap.

Journal

Get a manicure and/or pedicure and/or massage.

This website has some good self massage techniques.

Look for humor in the situation.

Pray, if you are so inclined.

Learn to forgive.

Go to Ikea. Lay down on the circle bed for a while. Then try out all the other beds and couches. Buy a bunch of plates for 50 cents each. Go home. Smash them with a hammer.

Although we are not in an ideal world, you really can avoid some stress:

Break down large tasks into several small ones. Accomplish things a little bit at a time.

Set realistic goals for yourself.

Put things into perspective—don’t sweat the small stuff.

Make time for your favorite activities.

Take stress management classes if you need to.

Reward yourself each day for positive thoughts and behaviors.

Start a daily stress relief practice.

Avoid being a perfectionist.

Know your limits and stick to them.

Don’t over commit yourself. Saying “no” to someone is not a bad thing.

Be assertive.

Be willing to compromise.

Learn how to manage your time.

Prioritize.

Don’t be afraid to delegate.

Live a healthy life style.

Sometimes, you just might need outside help. If your way of dealing with stress involves thoughts of harming yourself or others, or if you are experiencing chest pain, please call 911 immediately.

Use your support group if you cannot identify what is stressing you out, or causing anxiety. Maybe they have insight to your life and can help. If not, consider seeing a doctor or counselor. It may be a physical problem, or something that is too buried or hidden for you to see. Don’t ever be embarrassed to seek professional help for a problem. The sooner you get help, the sooner you will feel better.

Websites I used:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/stress/article_em.htm

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/stress.cfm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

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