The Importance of Sleep

-- LupitaOrozco - 14 May 2023

As we discussed in class, sleep is important to our mental well-being. It especially helps our memories absorb materials and memory is essential in our work. So with those reminders, I wanted to know how you all felt about your sleep schedules. I do not like that I have it specified around finals, but I think noticing how our behaviors change in response to exams can be informative. It may even help us draw healthy boundaries with our work.

Hopefully I created this poll correctly!

How much sleep did you get these last few weeks?

Avg. hours of sleep before Finals

Select ...0-12-34-56-78 or more

6-7 0% (4) 8 or more 0% (4) 4-5 0% (1)

Avg. hours of sleep during Finals

Select ...0-12-34-56-78 or more

6-7 0% (8) 8 or more 0% (1)

Avg. hours of sleep now

Select ...0-12-34-56-78 or more

8 or more 0% (6) 6-7 0% (2) 4-5 0% (1)

Hi Lupita! I definitely get more sleep now that exams are done, but tried to get 6-7 at a minimum during exams. Would be interested in comparing results to schools with less stringent grading policies. This could make an interesting comparison piece alongside Nicole's!

-- MichaelPari - 15 May 2023

I'd be curious in that comparison as well! My theory is that even at schools with a less clear-cut curve, the interaction of grades and neurosis and the necessary self-comparison that law school brings might mean that even no-curve students don't get much more sleep than we do. So much of what's taken up time for me in law school has not been graded - between moot courts, memos, student orgs, events, and settling into New York and building relationships - so much of our lives are not for a grade, even when grades themselves seem to tower over our existences (they've certainly seemed to loom over mine). I've also found, especially lately, that the hours of sleep I get are a poor heuristic for its quality. I've slept far less soundly in the past few weeks, even when it's for a full 7 hours; waking up frequently in the middle of the night, shaking off a strange dream or panicked that I slept through morning exams, has made it difficult to reap the full benefits of a full night's sleep.

-- NicoleMorote - 17 May 2023