Sleepy Time

Another tour in the books. Still makes me laugh at how up and down the job goes. You can be getting run right off your feet one moment and then nothing shortly there after. Keeps ya own your toes!
As usual, I am pretty sacked today. First day off is always a little bit of a killer for me and I find myself pulling around my glutes in a wagon. I do not sleep to good during night shifts and it tends to kick my ass a little. Will sleep like a champion tonight though:)
It is funny how I watch what I eat, make sure to go see the masseuse when I feel the need, physio/chiro when things are not moving right, and make sure to stay good and active, but often forget that sleep/rest is probably the biggest part of the "healthy" equation. Right after good nutrition of course.
Although I love dreaming about running on the beach, skydiving, riding around on a tiger by the name of Madagascar while eating grapes from the vine.......................this is not the part of sleep that helps me out in my daily endeavours.
While your sleeping, your body is in mending mode. Repairing and preparing itself to take on the next days challenges. The amount and quality of your sleep directly affects every aspect of your life. From your mood, attitude, physical and cognitive skills, energy levels, health, relationships, etc. There is nothing that your down time does not affect.
I could go into the how sleep affects your hormones, immune system, and so on, but in the end all that really matters is how you are feeling and performing day to day, throughout your life. Besides we all have google and wikipedia and can look up the affects of sleep ourselves.
Most of you can attest to the tired feeling you get after spending a night or two where your sleep has been less than optimal. You do not have the energy it seems to wipe your own arse let alone cook a healthy meal or heaven forbid get out of the house and actually do something other than your job/career. I know a person needs his or her sleep, and days off from the physical/mental assaults that your careers and lives can lay on you, but you must try to be proactive rather than reactive.
A bit of a strange concept I know (it is to me anyways) but by avoiding the problem in the first place the wrinkles usually iron themselves out without any of our input:)

Funny how when you were young and tired you'd just sleep. So smart! Where along the way did I lose sight of this simple fact?

Rather than taking a few days off to catch up on what is lost, and losing out on more while you are catching up on the lost. Why not make it a priority to rest up and avoid all this losing, catching up, losing stuff?
There is certain circumstances that throw a wrench into the gears of ones perfect sleeping machine, but in general, I am sure by giving a little more precedence to our "tiger riding" time you will feel, perform, and live each one of your days to it's fullest.
What's more important.................watching another episode of some reality show/surfing the net aimlessly/seeing who has updated there FB status in the last 5 mins, or being able to get up feeling refreshed, make a healthy breakfast, and PR your 5km/WOD tomorrow? Should I even need to ask:-)
"You don't get to choose how you're going to die, or when. You can decide how you're going to live now." --  Joan Baez