Debbie Does Push-ups! Day 14

1,052 Push-Ups Done + The Sleep Effect

Dear Diary,

Woop woop!  We are officially over 1,000 push-ups in this challenge.  1,052 to date, and today was the day I finally caught up on all my missing ones.  And honestly, I think the reason is simple.  I finally had a good night’s sleep.  Last night I was lights out at 10:30pm, alarm at 5:45am, so just over 7 hours of straight sleep.  No coughing fits.  No waking up to blow my nose.  Didn’t even get up to pee.  Miracle right there.  I woke up happier than I’ve felt in a while (a week to be exact). I even said to Rui “how did you sleep last night because I had an awesome sleep!”  He said, “Yeah me too actually. Is that why you’re so smiley?”  Yes!  Then I checked today’s push-up number: 143, relating to sleep.  Interesting timing, universe.  I love when sh*t like that happens.  And it happens a lot, especially if we pay attention (but that’s a whole other blog topic.).  Coincidences. Another time for sure!   

Today’s stat:  “People who get 7–9 hours of sleep each night are 1.43 times less likely to experience poor mental health. Sleep regulates emotions, sharpens focus, and builds resilience."  I think we can all agree that when sleep gets cut short, everything feels harder. Stress hits faster. Mood drops quicker. Brain fog rolls in.  Relatable. Hello, new moms. I see you.  “You should sleep when the baby sleeps,” they say.  Sure. Great plan.  But there are other things to do right?  Like washing your hair?  Honestly, I don’t even have kids and washing my hair is a whole production involving time management, coaching (you can do this Debb) and emotional readiness.  You get it.

The Wildness of Dreamland 

Can we talk about dreams for a sec?  Like, those nights where you wake up feeling like you slept five minutes, but actually you’ve been starring in a full-length movie?  Sometimes you’re watching yourself.  Sometimes you’re hanging with strangers.  Sometimes you’re the stranger.  Sometimes you’re swimming … then walking … then randomly you’re aware that you’re dreaming and decide to run naked in the streets because “it’s just a dream.”  Right? Or maybe that’s just me.  Welcome to the subconscious mind of Yoga Debb!   But here’s the fascinating part:  Even though we’re asleep, part of our brain is super active, especially during REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep).  Hey Google, help me out here. Explain REM. "REM is the stage where  the brain processes emotions, memories get sorted, learning gets stored and creativity spikes" and dreams go full on Netflix original series.  Basically, REM sleep is overnight mental housekeeping.  And this is why what we feed our brains before bed matters (as per yesterday’s blog).  Doom scrolling, stress, or scary tv equals not always the best setup for deep, restorative sleep.  (Says the woman who loves crime shows. Yes, I very much see the irony.)

And Speaking of Sleep … Humans Are Interesting!

Sleep talkers.  Sleep walkers.  I once watched a crime show where a man murdered his wife while sleepwalking. The defense argued he had a long history of sleepwalking and brain scans showed he could be very active while unconscious.  The jury still convicted him.  Because honestly … who knows.  And bottom line, you killed your wife dude.  I wonder what the life insurance policy was.  Oh, the brain: super fascinating.  And a tad terrifying. 

Back to Reality (and Push-Ups)

Where was I?  Oh right, feeling better.  Sleeping helped.  Catching up helped.  Moving my body helped.  And I’m grateful to feel more like myself again.  I’m also SUPER grateful that I’m at $900 in donations for the push-up for mental health challenge! And yesterday my mom said she’d donate $100 (without even knowing my total).  Coincidence? I think not. Btw, my mom is 100% the most generous woman I know. Not because she’s my mom (obviously, no biased opinion here).  But because it's true. Ask anyone who knows her.  If you know her, you know this is fact, not fiction. 

So that officially puts me at my $1,000 goal.  Thank you thank you thank you! Seriously.  Tears in my eyes.  But … that doesn’t mean we stop here, right?  If the challenge is heading toward 2,000 push-ups total, maybe we aim for $2,000 too?  With my team of 14 amazing humans (shout out guys!), I think we can keep raising funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association and help more people sleep a little easier at night. Every dollar raised for mental health helps people access support earlier, before things feel overwhelming, before they feel alone, and before it becomes a crisis.

If you were waiting for a sign to donate … maybe this is it. Coincidence?

A Little Personal Note

I just want to say how much I’ve been loving writing these posts and connecting with you here.  This space:  sharing, reflecting, smiling, being real.  It matters to me (a lot).  And I’m feeling really pulled to put more time and energy into this “work” moving forward.  More writing.  More conversations.  More connections.  More ways to support people in feeling better in their bodies and minds.  So thank you for being part of this journey with me.

Today’s Takeaway

Sleep isn’t optional.  It’s a necessity.  Sleep is mental health care.  And sometimes progress isn’t pushing harder.  It’s just going to bed earlier. What’s one small change you could make this week to have a better night’s sleep?  Maybe no technology 1 hour before bed?  Maybe no crime shows before bed?  (guilty).  Maybe cut off drinks three hours before bed? Water, people. I’m talking about water. Saturday nights operate under their own special rules. ;)

Just sayin’ ;) 

Yoga Debb

Building strength, mindset, and real-life consistency; one breath at a time 💗