Sleeping on the Floor: Renouncing Small Luxuries
I slept on a straw mat on the floor for two months! Yup, privileged American teenagers are giving up their mattresses and here’s why I think you should too:
Context-
A couple months ago, my best friend told me about sleeping on the floor. I thought it was a nice joke until I got a literal picture of the setup and oh boy, it was serious. The idea got me intrigued- what’s it like to renounce the privilege of fluffy comforters and a glamorous queen-sized bed?
My family is from India where it’s not too uncommon to sleep on a straw mat. My dad used to share fond memories of sleeping on the floor when his cousins came over and sharing jokes with them. As the daughter of immigrants, I forget that so many of the things I assume to be “essential” are in fact luxuries. My siblings were utterly shocked at breakfast when I announced my decision and told me “That’s just not normal. Even Toby (our dog) sleeps on a bed.”
The idea of trying a life-style experiment simply fascinated me at first. I figured I could also offer this as a sacrifice to God while waiting for early college decisions to be released.
How it Felt at First and What I’ve Learned-
As I submitted my last homework assignment and trudged to my room to grab my blanket, I realized I’d be joining the dust bunnies for a while. I will admit that I sleep like a ROCK (I don’t hear any alarms and can sleep through anything) so I wasn’t surprised to find that my quality of sleep wasn’t drastically altered. I actually found it easier to wake up early in the mornings around 5 am.
To be honest, I had an internal battle within me every single day during the past two months when I decided to sleep on the floor. That’s because I have a choice. I only know the warmth and coziness of a bed but what about the people who don’t have a choice?
Every night, a million thoughts rush through my head. I think about the people who crave a cushiony bed to comfort their arthritis. Renouncing my bed doesn’t provide another person with a bed but I want to work on decreasing global divides when I’m awake (support Dreams of Hope and Butterfly Project). But moreover, I want to deconstruct my own perceptions and those of others so we learn to be more mindful and grateful.
Sleep is really just a means to an end. In sixth grade when I read Tuesdays With Morrie, I misinterpreted a quote and decided that “we are half-dead when we’re asleep.” We can definitely rest our bodies without the fanciest mattress or silkiest pillow. Maybe even donate the money saved from that purchase to a charity. If you’re considering joining me, I’d recommend you to sleep on some sort of cushioning at first (if you’re not used to sleeping on a hard surface).
You Should Try It Too-
My decision to sleep on the floor is purely voluntary and while some may coin that as “hipster” or “retro,” it made me think about global divides in access. If my roommate is cool with it, I’ll continue this in college as my daily reminder to remain humble, motivated, and responsible.
I highly encourage you to give up one of the luxuries in your life too. It can be your mattress or you might commit to using your car less. Just make a little sacrifice for a week and recognize how much we have to be grateful for in life!
