Day14 (nap1)

Here is a link to the very FIRST post of this Blog 1st Post of Day1

Day14 (nap1) -Meditation>sleep b/c college kids are loud-

Friday, September 25, 2009

1:03 AM

I'm not quite sure what it is about college students that makes them behave in this way. I, as an "adult," recognize that perhaps certain rules of behavior and decorum ought to be observed after certain hours of the night. 12:30am, for example seems to me like a time when I probably should not be screaming/yelling while outside, unless there's some1 chasing after you or something. And yet, every Thursday through Sunday, this is what I consistently hear. Not with an open window, mind you, but through closed panes of glass, covered with blinds and a good-fabric drape. And it's not just girls who scream either, though their blood-curdling shrills are definitely the worst of sounds; the guys seem to believe that, perhaps to show off their extreme masculinity, they must yell in deep baritone with monotonic syllables (though not actual words).
Needless to say, this situation makes it more than impossible to nap, which leads me to the actual explanation of Day14's first nap (N1). As stated, it was not an option for me to actually fall asleep during this nap, so after ~5min of trying, I decided to do something that I hoped would be just as useful but not involve unconsciousness. As I lay on my bed, I began a breathing-exercise-meditation. The entire exercise probably lasted roughly 5minutes, but it did leave me feeling incredibly relaxed and at ease. Essentially, I would breathe in for 1,2,3 or 5 seconds; hold that breath for roughly 2x as long (2,4,6, or 10sec.); exhale for the same duration (1,2,3,5); and hold that lack of oxygen for about 2x as long again (2,4,6,10sec w/o any air in lungs). In this way, you both relax and engage your lungs with alternating systems. During the inhale+hold, you feel as though the lungs are relaxed, b/c they are filled with air. Then, during the exhale+hold, there is a feeling of tightness and semi-desperate need for air as the lungs are deprived of any oxygen. Obviously, you begin with whatever feels comfortable, and only move forward by a few seconds to challenge yourself. By the end of the exercise though, you should be able to hold your breath on an inhale for much longer than at the beginning of the exercise. You will have also slowed your heart rate considerably (for the time being).
PSA:
Psychological State Analysis ( 1=low --> 5=high)

Feeling of "Tiredness"	2
Hunger	2
Clarity of thoughts	5
Willingness to exercise	3
Willingness to write	4
Memory recall ability	5
Awareness of surroundings	5
Feelings of anxiety	2
Calmness	3
Frequency of odd thoughts	1
Errors of mind/typing	2
Schedule Adherence	5
Productivity	3
Hydration Level	4

Oh, by the way. HEB trip recap: ~1hr in the store; ~$45; 2weeks worth of veggie food, AND effing amazing hazelnut/chocolate spread (like nutella but 1,000x BETTER)!!! No joke, this stuff tastes fucking awesome! It's like a healthy, organic smore, but in spreadable form. REALLY REALLY good on rye crackers.