I already knew this about myself, but I relearned it this past year. For me, getting enough sleep is one of the best ways I can take care of myself. When I get overly exhausted or I am tired multiple days in a row, my body just doesn't work the same. It's like it punishes me for not giving it enough time to rest.
Ever since I was little, I would end up not feeling well if I didn't get enough sleep. For the longest time in my teen years and early twenties, I would always get sick in the winter. This wasn't because this is the time of year everyone gets sick. It was because it was the busiest time of year for me. Working in retail, the end of November and all the way till mid January I would be working non-stop. Plus I would always have either papers due or finals to study for since it was the end of the semester. Then add on the social events like holiday shopping and parties. It would leave me very little time for sleep. As a result for almost 5 years in a row from December to March, I would be sick and at the doctor's office every single month for something.
More recently I have noticed that as my sleep decreases my anxiety increases. I remember both my doctor and therapist telling me that this is true for almost everyone with anxiety problems. As a way to compensate for the tiredness I would have caffeine, which also increases anxiety. This is why I try to make a point of it to not over do it. I try and set aside at least one day a week to relax and catch up on sleep if I need to. For me, sleep is the best way I can take care of myself.
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