Ode To aA Biological Need | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Ode To aA Biological Need

We need it. We crave it. We fantasize about it...

13
Ode To aA Biological Need
FinerMinds

We take it for granted. We really do. In our subconscious, we acknowledge this as a biological need for survival. In our conscious state, it’s a normal part of your life that you experience every day…if you’re lucky. As children, we fought it. A child’s energy for too great for it. As we age, we crave it more and more—at least I do. As a teen and now young adult, I have such great appreciation for this wonder that I’m devoting this whole article to it.

Sleep. Ah, just the word is beautiful. It’s peaceful and it flows much like the concept itself. There’s nothing else like it. Sure, we have food and beverages to sustain us to keep going physically, but sleep recharges the body. You don’t even have to do anything. All you have to do is calm your body and lie on a flat—and preferably comfortable—surface and close your eyes. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. Why am I praising a normal bodily function? You’ll see.

Without sleep, the human body couldn’t function. At least, it couldn’t function well. I’ve seen the effects of little sleep can do on a person, myself included. It’s not pretty. Some people are frazzled, some are irritable, and for those like me, get punch drunk and wonder how I got here, and how long I’ve been there. The next day is even worse. You’re barely aware of anything going on. My eyes are heavy from my droopy eyelids to the point where dozing off in class occasionally happens, and I personally feel guilty about it. Lack of sleep can lead to a weaker immune system which would make it all the easier for you to get sick. Sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves, and our bodies eventually get revenge for it. On a similar note, sleep deprivation can cause your body to feel sore and can take longer for injuries to heal. With all the stress the body goes through, acne breakouts are a common sign as well. Take care of your body. Get sleep.

Sleep also improves our memory. We may not remember everything we’ve forgotten. That’s a given. However, sleep can help restore memories to your long-term memory. This is part of the reason why it’s better to look over study notes briefly before going to sleep rather than pulling an all-nighter to cram. When you cram the information isn’t sticking. This results in “going blank” on exams. You would have better chances going over a little before going to sleep. Scores tend to be better, and look at it this way: If you still fail, at least you got a good night’s sleep. You seriously can’t beat that.

This marvel also improves your appetite. When you’re tired, you’re more prone to be binge on junk food, and before long you wonder where those extra pounds came from. When’s it late at night, and you don’t feel like walking all the way to the kitchen, you’ll reach for anything edible in arms’ grasp. When you more alert to what you’re eating, you can make healthier choices that would benefit you more than the snacks. Then again, do what you will. I do enjoy pleasure snacking as well. We all have flaws.

As I said, as kids we, in general, fought them, but not me. In elementary school, nap time was favored right alongside recess. Even in elementary school, when we were put down for a nap, I was the first one to go to sleep and the last one to wake up. I remember one day specifically when I woke up from my nap and the classroom lights were on and all the other little kids were playing around me. So sweet of the teacher to not wake me. She understood the beauty of sleep. Combined with moving through middle school, and later high school, the workload becomes more strenuous. The schedules are longer and more hectic. Last minute necessities pop up and you don’t know what to do with yourself. What to do, what to do? After school, I would head straight for the kitchen for a snack. From there, I would munch on said snack and take a nap.

Now, the term “nap” is relative. Most people think of nap as half an hour to an hour. That’s not me. For me, a “doze-off” would be no longer than 2 hours. A brief nap is 2-4 hours; a full-size nap can vary from 5-7 hours. Sleep is anything longer than 8 hours. I call this system my “sleep spectrum”. Before I went off to college, I had a pretty steady sleep cycle. Now I’m in my second year of college and, if we’re going by my sleep spectrum, I currently haven’t “slept” in a long time. All the “sleep” I’ve been getting was not sleep, but brief naps and full-size naps. This is bad I know, but life is hard. It really is. There’s no avoiding all I have to do without failing at everything. As I write this, life is chaotic, but things will slow down after this week (hopefully). Roughly two and a half more weeks until we break for Thanksgiving. Then we return a week before final exams begin. Afterward, we break for a month long Christmas vacation. Most college students would be living like there’s no tomorrow, but I’ll be sleeping like I’ll never see it again, because, in truth, it may be a long time before I can just rest without having an agenda to attend to again.

Oh, sleep, you life-changing impression, we shall meet again. Once I travel back home for the holidays, we will reunite, and my sanity will return once more.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196929
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18874
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460904
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28324
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments