Do you stay woke? I’m not talking about having an awareness of yourself, history, or current injustices. That form of staying woke is important. I am asking if you stay awake when you should be asleep.
I am telling on myself in this post. I don’t always practice what I preach. Yes, I make mistakes. I strive for excellence, but sometimes, I make poor decisions.
I struggle with prioritizing sleep. For years, I convinced myself that while sleep is critical, it can wait until I'm dead! I ignored the fact that when I am gone, I will not need sleep.
Sleep is an essential component of being alive. People who are dead do not sleep. They have passed on to eternal resting places.
We are gifted with the need to sleep because it is crucial to our vitality. Getting an adequate amount of rest can improve memory, prevent cancer, and help our bodies repair after exposure to environmental toxins or strenuous exercise. I’ve known about the importance of sleep for a while, and I ignored the research.
Similar to you, I have dreams and goals that I want to accomplish. I’ve been told that sacrificing something, including sleep is often part of the achievement process. This advice also comes with the problematic thinking that working hard is the only thing that matters when it comes to success. Not sleeping plus working like a maniac does not always equal achievement.
Last weekend, I decided that I had enough of sacrificing sleep in exchange for getting more stuff done.
I am tired of dozing off at work. On most days, I have at least one mandatory meeting and several student appointments. It’s not uncommon for me to bring tea or coffee to these meetings, because I don’t want to fall asleep.
Without the need for caffeine, I want to be more present in my home, work, and other activities that give me life.
My body requires seven hours to feel and think at its best. As a father of three young children and a husband, I need rest to be a more present dad and partner. After getting a full night of sleep, my Capoeira training sessions are always better.
Last Sunday, I took an entire day off from caffeinated drinks. Yes, it was only one day, but as someone who drinks tea, coffee, or a pre-workout supplement every day, it was a challenge. I decided to listen to my body and allow myself to get the rest it needed. If I felt the desire to take a nap, I took it without feeling guilty. I didn’t pick up a caffeinated drink to power through the fatigue.
I want to adopt a caffeine-free lifestyle on several days of every week and rely on getting rest the night before to fuel me for the day. Will you join me? Yes, relying less on caffeine is possible for you and me.
With this week’s blog post, I want to encourage you to get the rest your body needs. To do this, it may require limiting your caffeine intake. Try not to drink coffee, pop, or anything caffeinated after 3 PM.
Getting a full night of rest, can empower you to think better in the morning with the natural energy to make progress on your goals and dreams. Prioritizing sleep may not be easy, and that's why I am here to help you.
Read the books.
View the videos.
Stay informed.
Invest in yourself.
I want you to stay woke and get your sleep!
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