Sleepy

Last week I made a very important discovery. I've made it before, but every time the realization makes more and more sense. Lack of sleep makes me grumpy!! It really really does!

When I was in high school I memorized a quote that I absolutely loved. It was written by Susanna Wesley:

"Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself." 

One night, as I was up really late completing an assignment, I was extremely grumpy. I had been on a sugar fast (those were a common occurrence in high school, it was awesome) and in my grumpy state I thought to myself, "I don't even care anymore, I'm just going to eat junk because I'm tired and I'm mad!" Suddenly it hit me how I was acting. I was being irrational. I knew I would regret breaking my sugar fast the next morning. I couldn't understand why I was so upset! This quote popped into my head and it hit me that sleep deprivation was NOT a good thing for me. It makes me stressed out. It makes me worried. It makes me horrible company. It takes away my motivation. It decreases my ability to concentrate. It weakens my resolve. It dampens my excitement on life by a whole lot. It makes me irritable.

I think the worst effect is that it decreases my ability to stay close to the Spirit. I get sad a lot easier. I don't care about reading my scriptures when I'm so exhausted. My motivation to be good isn't as strong. And this last week I felt it! I was so emotional. I did things I regret. I didn't do things that I should have and now I'm paying for it. Definitely.

So I'm going to do better. No more staying up past midnight. I know that isn't very late for a college student, but when I get up at 6:30 some days and 5:00 others, I have to get more sleep. Staying up isn't a benefit at all, even if I'm finishing up an assignment. I will get up early if I don't finish it, not stay up later. Starting this week.