Best sleep schedule for 1L? Forum

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brinicolec

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Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by brinicolec » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:45 pm

This is a weird-ish question, but I generally have a shitty sleep schedule (as I'm sure most people do) and am thinking I need to starting inching towards adjusting my sleep schedule for law school. What time do you all recommend waking up by? Also, for those of you who consistently go to the gym/exercise, do you think it's best to do that in the morning before classes or in the evening/late at night (if I'm living somewhere that has a fitness center in the building) after classes?

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cavalier1138

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by cavalier1138 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:54 pm

I think it's best if you don't disrupt your routine too much. If you go to the gym, go to the gym around the same time of day that you already do. The big mistake people make in 1L is less about not having the "right" schedule, and more about them throwing off their daily routine because they think they need to be one some universal law school clock.

However, if your sleep schedule isn't actually workable (for example, if you consistently wake up after your first class is scheduled), then I'd just start adjusting your habits now. Start waking up and going to sleep earlier to make it a habit.

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by Blue664 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:56 pm

Related question: how early could law school classes start? Are we talking like 10am or 8am ( :x )?

Of course I realize this is probably school specific...

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by acr » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:58 pm

This is totally individual. Some people require 6 hours of sleep to function normally, some people require 10 hours. Just make sure that you get the sleep that you need. I found that if I sacrificed too much sleep that I wasn't retaining any of the reading anyway, which made it pointless.

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waldorf

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by waldorf » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:59 pm

cavalier1138 wrote: However, if your sleep schedule isn't actually workable (for example, if you consistently wake up after your first class is scheduled), then I'd just start adjusting your habits now. Start waking up and going to sleep earlier to make it a habit.

This, and start doing it sooner rather than later. I have SEVERE insomnia - to the point that when I can sleep, I'm so grateful for the ability that I could sleep till 1 pm the next day. I got on a light sleeping pill and readjusted my schedule because I got a full time 8-5 job for my gap year. I wish I'd started adjusting earlier, because the first month of work was rough. Definitely start adjusting asap if your schedule is horrible like mine was (staying up till 3/4 am, sleeping until the afternoon, etc).

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brinicolec

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by brinicolec » Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:04 pm

bwaldorf wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote: However, if your sleep schedule isn't actually workable (for example, if you consistently wake up after your first class is scheduled), then I'd just start adjusting your habits now. Start waking up and going to sleep earlier to make it a habit.

This, and start doing it sooner rather than later. I have SEVERE insomnia - to the point that when I can sleep, I'm so grateful for the ability that I could sleep till 1 pm the next day. I got on a light sleeping pill and readjusted my schedule because I got a full time 8-5 job for my gap year. I wish I'd started adjusting earlier, because the first month of work was rough. Definitely start adjusting asap if your schedule is horrible like mine was (staying up till 3/4 am, sleeping until the afternoon, etc).
My sleeping schedule is sort of like that except regardless of when I fall asleep, I tend to wake up around 10 or 11 am. That's why I was asking this. I was looking for more of a time that people recommend being up by, I guess lol

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zot1

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by zot1 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:04 pm

I slept 8 hours per night except during memo writing. I usually woke up around 7 or 8am.

Gym in the mornings was my favorite, but didn't always get to do it. When I couldn't go in the morning, I would end up going between 11pm and 12am.

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waldorf

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by waldorf » Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:08 pm

brinicolec wrote:
bwaldorf wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote: However, if your sleep schedule isn't actually workable (for example, if you consistently wake up after your first class is scheduled), then I'd just start adjusting your habits now. Start waking up and going to sleep earlier to make it a habit.

This, and start doing it sooner rather than later. I have SEVERE insomnia - to the point that when I can sleep, I'm so grateful for the ability that I could sleep till 1 pm the next day. I got on a light sleeping pill and readjusted my schedule because I got a full time 8-5 job for my gap year. I wish I'd started adjusting earlier, because the first month of work was rough. Definitely start adjusting asap if your schedule is horrible like mine was (staying up till 3/4 am, sleeping until the afternoon, etc).
My sleeping schedule is sort of like that except regardless of when I fall asleep, I tend to wake up around 10 or 11 am. That's why I was asking this. I was looking for more of a time that people recommend being up by, I guess lol
Two of my best friends are at T20s and they've found it beneficial to be up by 6am everyday (I think their classes start at 8 or 9 depending on the day) so that they have time to shower, relax, eat some breakfast, etc. and maybe refresh on their reading for that day before class. Might have to adjust this depending on how much time you like to have to yourself, how long you take to get ready, how far you live from school, etc. They go to bed between 9-11. That's going to depend on how much sleep you need.

I work at a fairly busy job that requires a lot of reading and writing. For me to work effectively, I require at least 7 hours, preferably 8. I go to bed at 10 pm every night (sometimes it ends up being more like 10:30 or 11) and wake up at 6:30 (have to be at work by 8 ). Obviously not the same as law school, but the hours seem similar, and I've found it to be a good schedule for me. It was just really hard to get used to going to bed that early and I wish I'd started adjusting earlier.
Last edited by waldorf on Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Dcc617

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by Dcc617 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:10 pm

This is goofy. Just enjoy your life until school starts. Volunteer, learn an instrument, or get really good at cup stacking if you can't handle chilling and need to neurotically obsess over something.

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by Canuck86 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 8:12 pm

I can relate to your question very well. My tendency is to keep erratic hours. I would say the best thing you can do is consistently go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (including weekends, which is the hardest part for me).

It's easy as a student to maintain a poor sleep schedule. You might not have class until the afternoon some days, so it's easy to sleep late. Or you might have a long break from class in the middle of the day, so it's tempting to nap.

I wake up around 6am every day and make sure I'm in bed by 10pm. After doing this for several straight weeks, it becomes natural. Your body will fall into a rythm, and you will get much better sleep. I don't even have to set an alarm anymore because I wake up naturally. And I don't lay awake in bed at night like I used to. I also feel much more alert and focused during the day, so I'm more productive.

However, being able to do this successfully requires getting work done in a timely fashion and planning ahead. Otherwise, you'll end up pulling an all-nighter before a legal writing assignment is due (as an example). If your anything like me, that will mess up your sleep schedule for days.

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brinicolec

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by brinicolec » Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:33 am

Dcc617 wrote:This is goofy. Just enjoy your life until school starts. Volunteer, learn an instrument, or get really good at cup stacking if you can't handle chilling and need to neurotically obsess over something.
It's really not that goofy for someone who has chronic insomnia problems to worry about getting their sleep schedule on track before going back to school and having to wake up earlier than they're used to. It's not a neurotic obsession thing, it's just a reality. If I were to have to wake up at 7am everyday right now, I'd get a max of four hours of sleep a day and I'm not one of those people who can just change my sleep schedule, I have to work at it. I used to try to deprive myself of sleep so I could fall asleep at a reasonable time and I still would be up until 3 or 4. Insomnia struggles are real! Lol

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Nonconsecutive

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by Nonconsecutive » Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:38 am

Blue664 wrote:Related question: how early could law school classes start? Are we talking like 10am or 8am ( :x )?

Of course I realize this is probably school specific...
My guess is that most law schools aren't starting classes before 8am. I've been fortunate to never had a class that started before 9:50am, but I've also actively avoided any classes that start before then (we have some 8:00 or 8:10am slots) once I took control of my schedule post 1L.

I don't like getting up early unless I'm getting paid to do so. :lol:

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waldorf

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by waldorf » Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:40 am

brinicolec wrote:
Dcc617 wrote:This is goofy. Just enjoy your life until school starts. Volunteer, learn an instrument, or get really good at cup stacking if you can't handle chilling and need to neurotically obsess over something.
It's really not that goofy for someone who has chronic insomnia problems to worry about getting their sleep schedule on track before going back to school and having to wake up earlier than they're used to. It's not a neurotic obsession thing, it's just a reality. If I were to have to wake up at 7am everyday right now, I'd get a max of four hours of sleep a day and I'm not one of those people who can just change my sleep schedule, I have to work at it. I used to try to deprive myself of sleep so I could fall asleep at a reasonable time and I still would be up until 3 or 4. Insomnia struggles are real! Lol
I absolutely understand this. I wish I'd fixed my sleep schedule earlier because when I started my 8-5 job, I was miserable for about a month. I just couldn't get used to going to bed before 3 am.

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by rowingmyboat » Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:04 pm

The one that works best for you. What time of day are you most productive? If it is the evening, sleep in later and block out time in the evening to read. If it is the morning, then wake up early and block out time in the morning to read.

Maybe helpful: as a 1L, it's difficult to determine how long something will take you. I would suggest against any plan to read something the morning of in case the clock gets the better of you. That way if you do decide to read in the mornings and aren't able to finish up in your block of time, you still have the evening.

Gym: whatever works for you. In law school, I did it in the evenings to give myself a break. Now as an associate, I go in the morning to make sure I get to it.

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by dogger » Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:27 pm

Live your life how you want. I don't tell you when to go to the bathroom. Go to bed whenever you want.

Whatever works best for you.

To answer your question, I show up early at school consistently and go to bed relatively early. I'm used to the mindset of having a job, so showing up to school in such a fashion makes sense to me. I also get a lot of work done early in the morning with a nice coffee. It's quiet.

I go to the gym in the early evening on weekdays or during the morning on weekends.

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by anonymous117 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:10 pm

I’m most productive late at night. That’s just when my body and mind feel most focused, and it’s how I work. As a result, I typically stay up later and wake up an hour before I start classes. My sleep schedule is different from all of my friends, but it works for me and that’s what matters. I think you’ll learn how your body responds and what your body needs. Most days I go to bed around 1 or 2, but some days I’m just exhausted so it’s 10pm instead. I think you can prep in advance to make your schedule more normalized, but don’t stress too much about sticking to it to a T.

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Re: Best sleep schedule for 1L?

Post by sprinterca » Mon Apr 04, 2022 10:57 pm

The best option for you would be to purchase smart light bulbs. LED smart lamp is a trend of the last few years.

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