As a legal professional, you’re in one of the most stressful industries in the world, so it’s no wonder that you may be experiencing trouble sleeping. A rough night can lead to low energy, decreased productivity, and weight gain. These symptoms can contribute to your stress level, which makes getting to sleep even more difficult! If you’re looking to break the cycle, try these tips for a better night’s sleep!
Try to align your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle
You may already know a little about circadian rhythms, but they are vital to the health of your sleep. Circadian rhythms guide your natural sleep cycle. There are different stages of sleep, ranging from light sleep to full REM sleep. Your body cycles through these stages in roughly 90 minute cycles. You feel most rested when you end your sleep at the end of a sleep cycle. There are some simple tricks you can follow to improve your function with circadian rhythms. Try to go to sleep at the same time every day, and do your best to avoid sleeping in on weekends. If you find that you’re overly tired on the weekends, try waking and sleeping at your normal times but stealing a nap in the middle of the day. This can help relieve your sleep deficiency without disturbing your established rhythms.
Limit your exposure to light
One of the most important components of good sleep is the hormone melatonin. Melatonin helps regulate your sleep/wake cycle. You produce more melatonin at night when it’s dark. By limiting your exposure to light, you help ensure that your body produces sufficient melatonin to signal a need to sleep. Try to limit your exposure to blue light, like the light that comes from electronic devices and late night television. You’ll also want to limit the amount of light in your room when you’re going to sleep, possibly through the use of blackout curtains.
Monitor your nutrition
Even though it doesn’t always seem like it, what you eat during the day can play a big part in how you sleep at night! Take care to limit your caffeine and nicotine intake. Caffeine can cause sleep problems even as much as twelve hours after consumption, so why not skip the afternoon coffee and choose a natural pressed juice instead? It’s also helpful to avoid alcohol and large meals right before bed. These things can really interfere with your sleep cycles once you’ve managed to fall asleep. It’s particularly hard to get good sleep if you’ve just eaten a lot of sugar and refined carbs. These foods can trigger wakefulness at night, which is disruptive to your sleep.
When you experiment with these tips, you’ll be able to see what works best for you and enjoy a better night’s sleep! Good sleep can improve your mood, as well as your mental and physical health. This improved health will allow you to be even more productive at work!
