Welcome to Wednesday Word, a weekly linkup for everyone, not just health and fitness bloggers. Each Wednesday you will have a single word prompt to write about. Let your imagination run free and share with your readers your interpretation of that word, or simply use it as inspiration for your post. Today’s word is deprivation….. I’d love to have you link up, and if you do, please remember to follow my six simple rules.
Deprivation – the state of not having something that people need;
the state of being deprived of something
~ Merriam-Webster
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of deprivation is sleep. Having just come off of Ragnar DC, I know a thing or two about sleep deprivation. Sadly sleep deprivation seems to be a way of life for me and something I’ve been working on improving since getting my Fitbit (affiliate link) this summer, and seeing just how little sleep I really get.
I went into Ragnar DC getting just over five hours sleep the night before we left, and only five hours sleep the night before that. I then went from 5:15 AM on Friday until 11 PM Saturday getting only a 1.5 hour nap in the back of an uncomfortable van. Talk about sleep deprivation…..
My problem is that I love to go to bed late and rise early. I get it honestly, though – my dad was an early riser and my mom is a night owl. I’d hate to have it the opposite way with going to bed early and sleeping late. I’m afraid I’d miss out too much on life…..
In full disclosure though, I don’t think I need nearly as much sleep as the average person. I seem to be able to function just fine if I can get around six hours of sleep per night with an occasional longer night. I think seven hours of sleep per night – consistently – would be optimal for me.
Another way deprivation plays in my life is with my clients and their struggle to lose weight. Too many don’t think of food as fuel, but as the enemy; and the only means to a perfect body; and therefore, happiness, is through food deprivation.
I work hard to help each person try to understand their relationship with food while reminding them that food is one of their basic needs. Together we then focus on moderation instead of deprivation, and it’s a real struggle…..
What is it about deprivation that can be so powerful? Do we feel that we don’t deserve those basic things our bodies need, and why do we allow things so basic to life to hold us hostage? I suppose if I were to figure out the answers to these questions, I’d be very much in demand, and very rich.
How does deprivation play into your life?
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Next Wednesday’s Word: Perspective
Oh, sleep deprivation! I get between 6-7 hours a night, which does seem to be enough, but at least once a week I crash at 8:30 pm, so maybe not. Deprivation doesn’t work for me in dieting, but it’s hard to find the right level of “moderation.”
Coco recently posted…Diet Rules — Moderation Or Deprivation?
I’ve heard that we need less sleep as we get older, so perhaps that’s why I get by okay with the amount of sleep I get. It doesn’t seem fair, though, since we have more time to sleep as we get older. 😀
Oh, your picture gave me flashbacks! I like my 6-7 each night and getting 1-2 hours for a Ragnar weekend was ROUGH!
anne recently posted…MCM Minus Five: Bolstering with Breakfast and Hilarious Cinnamon
Rough, yes, but fortunately the adrenaline keeps you going!
I’m an early to bed, early to rise person. I wasn’t always early to bed — as my parents like to remind me, when I was college aged, I’d sometimes get up in the middle of the night to watch a movie. But I’ve always been an early riser, something my night owl parents don’t understand.
My husband didn’t either, but lately he’s getting up earlier and earlier.
I do need my sleep, though, and am often deprived due to life circumstances. 5 hours definitely makes me crabby. 7 hours is about optimal for me, but I don’t really get it often enough — but not usually through any fault of my own.
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Are runners deprived? I don’t think so!
I think you’re a rarity if you were an early riser when you were a teenager! I loved to sleep in back then, but usually couldn’t because of farm chores. I’m getting up at 4:30 to run with friends tomorrow morning, so let’s see how early I can get to bed tonight. 🙂
I went through many years with the thought of food deprivation constantly on my mind. It’s an awful way to be and I am happy to say that I now agree with your quote above. Jealous that you don’t need too much sleep.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…The Husband Project-October Update
The down side to not needing much sleep is that I sometimes go and go until I totally run myself down. I did that this summer by getting up at 4:30 several mornings a week, but being busy enough that I couldn’t get to bed as early as I needed. By Labor Day I was totally burned out, and had to start running later in the day by myself instead of meeting my friends at 5:30. Tomorrow will be my first 5:30 AM run since before Labor Day.
SLEEP. That is SERIOUSLY the reason why I will never do Ragnar. Ever. You can beg me until you’re blue in the face, but N-O. I love sleep way too much. Pretty sure that’s also why I don’t want kids. 😛
Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete recently posted…Without.
HaHa – you’re a smart woman. Sleep and kids don’t go together; at least not for the first several years. 🙂
Funny that the first thing that came up when I googled deprivation was sleep deprivation. Actually, I had a little trouble with this prompt–I don’t deprive myself of much. Or maybe it’s just being content with what I have?
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Heavy Medal Deprivation
Other than for my sleep, I’m with you.
My husband is the same way – he can get about 6 hours of sleep regularly and do just fine. Me? Not so much. I need that 8 hours pretty consistently or I am a wreck. Tired headaches, no patience, etc. I love going to bed early! It feels like the ultimate indulgence.
Alison recently posted…Detroit Free Press Marathon
My problem is FOMO, and what I might miss by going to bed early! 😀
I don’t need a lot of sleep either. But after several days of little sleep, I usually crash.
Darlene recently posted…Wednesday Word: Deprivation
Same here. If I deprive myself of sleep too much, I crash big time!
I read somewhere that Martha Stewart needs only 4 hrs of sleep/night. I like my 7. I agree I don’t like to think of dieting and deprivation but rather fueling and mindfulness. In fact I think I need to fuel now.
Marcia recently posted…Things to Do in the Running “Off Season”
No wonder Martha Stewart gets so much done! Oprah probably doesn’t need much sleep either!
I had a hard time with this word! Other than maybe sleep, I don’t feel deprived at all — even with my injury. What one person may see as a deprivation, does someone else just see it as a decision?
HoHo Runs recently posted…Inspiring Others
Could be; although, the young mom of a colicky baby who can’t get any sleep might disagree that it’s a decision.