Lifestyle Change #2

Change #2 - Sleep Better

Getting adequte sleep sounds so easy.  Who doesn’t want to sleep in another 30 minutes?  But getting enough sleep isn’t possible when you’re sabotaging it by your bad habits.  Even if you only get 6 hours a night, the quality will be better if you get the basics down.

1. Have a regular sleep schedule - i.e., go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This includes weekends! Your body thrives when it has sleep regularity.
2. Don’t have a TV in your room or fall asleep on the couch watching TV.
3. Don’t end your evening watching the news, reading horror stories about the bar exam, or putting any other disturbing thoughts in your brain.  Fill your mind with peaceful and uplifting thoughts that won’t torment you as you sleep.
4. Put aside your worries somehow - whether you need to jot down a to-do list for tomorrow, pray, journal, meditate, or call your mom - just get them off your chest so you can sleep as stress-free as possible.
5. Make your bedroom conducive to sleeping. Keep your room cool and get fresh air flow for ventilation. Have good window coverings to keep it dark during sleeping hours. Use a fan or a sleep machine if you like to have "white noise" in the background. Get rid of the jarring light emanating from your clock by turning it away from you or putting it face down.
6. Don't work on your laptop or pay your bills while sitting in bed, especially right before sleep! You should equate bed with peace, rest, and *ahem* you-know-what.

 
{Did you find this post helpful? It came straight out of my book, The Goat’s Guide: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing for the California Bar Exam on Your Own}