Articles
Among all professionals, lawyers may have the most contentious relationship with sleep. If it’s true that “Lawyers know life practically,” as Samuel Johnson said, then perhaps sleep seems to be too impractical for the competitive culture of the law office. Why sleep when there is so much work to be done? The law profession’s reliance on the billable hour also makes sleep an outcast. If time is money, it can’t be wasted sleeping.
Yet sleep is much too important to be ignored. The quality and quantity of your nightly sleep will have a direct impact on every aspect of your life, both personally and professionally.
You may be surprised to discover just how much sleep matters—to both the law-school student and the associate, to the attorney in a private practice and the partner in a large firm.
Stay Sharp
Sufficient sleep improves daytime alertness, which allows you to remain attentive in all situations.In contrast, ongoing sleep loss produces excessive daytime sleepiness and a mounting level of “sleep pressure.” Continuing to deprive your body of sleep will raise the pressure until sleep becomes irresistible—regardless of the time of day or activity in which you are involved.
The effect of daytime sleepiness is strongest in monotonous situations, such as driving an automobile, or sitting in the courtroom. According to an article in the journal Sleep (May, 2007), at least 15 judges have been accused of falling asleep at the bench.
The article adds that legal counsel also may be vulnerable to sleepiness during trials. It describes the case of a convicted murderer whose death sentence was deemed “unfair” by the U.S. District Court because his court-appointed attorney frequently fell asleep as witnesses were being questioned. “Unconscious or sleeping counsel is equivalent to no counsel at all,” the U.S. District Court bluntly concluded.
Perform Better
When you are well rested, you are more productive than when you are tired. Sleep energizes both your body and your mind, allowing you to accomplish more and improving the quality of your performance.
Practicing law requires that you be able to analyze complex information, present logical arguments and respond quickly to unexpected changes. A well-rested mind enables you to concentrate and remain focused throughout the day.
Studies show that when you get enough sleep you are more likely to make good decisions, complete tasks accurately and quickly, effectively multi-task, remember details, and detect and correct errors.
Even losing a couple hours of sleep on a regular basis can have a severe impact on your performance (Source: a study in the journal Sleep, 2003). According to the study, sleeping for six hours or less per night can hinder your cognitive performance in the same way as two nights of total sleep deprivation.
Research also indicates that most people underestimate the effect that sleep loss has on their performance. This means that you may not even realize how much your work is suffering because of lack of sleep.
Improve Your Physical Health
Along with exercise and nutrition, sleep is one of the three pillars of a lifestyle that promotes good physical health.
Sleep, for example, boosts the defense response of your immune system to help your body fight off illnesses. Sleep also helps guard your heart, reducing your risk of high blood pressure and heart attack.
Studies show that getting enough sleep also plays a major role in reducing your risk of two of the most prevalent health problems in the U.S.: obesity and diabetes. People who sleep for fewer hours each night are more likely to be overweight or obese than people who sleep longer. Although the nature of this relationship is still being investigated, research has linked sleep to hormones that help control your appetite.
Diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., is more common in people who get less than seven hours of sleep per night. The prevalence is even higher in people who sleep for five hours or less per night.
Medical problems also are common in people who suffer from a chronic sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Sleep apnea can have severe effects on your health and has been linked to such problems as heart failure, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. Obstructive sleep apnea involves repeated pauses in breathing that occur when the muscles relax during sleep, causing soft tissue in the back of the throat to collapse and block the upper airway.
Feel Better Mentally And Emotionally
Sleep is also a restorative process that promotes a sound mind. Sleeping well increases your sense of overall well-being and satisfaction. In contrast, poor sleep can lead to feelings of frustration, a lack of motivation and mood swings.
In a profession in which the sixty-to-eighty-hour workweek can be normal, problems such as stress, anxiety and depression are common among lawyers. According to the American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, lawyers have the highest rate of depression of 105 other professionals. This can lead to other problems such as alcoholism, drug abuse and suicidal thoughts.
The effect of these problems often carries over to the office. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that mental-health disorders can be even more severe than the average injury or illness. In 2001, workers affected by a mental-health disorder spent an average of 25 days away from work.
People who have sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome are more likely to suffer from depression. Insomnia also is a common symptom of a variety of mental-health disorders. Insomnia occurs when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or when your sleep is unrefreshing.
People with anxiety disorders often have trouble falling asleep at night. Depression can lead to frequent awakenings during the night as well as early-morning awakenings from which you are unable to return to sleep.
Get The Sleep You Need
Taking a stimulant such as caffeine can provide a short-term benefit to help you overcome the effects of sleep loss, but there is no substitute for sleep. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel and perform their best.
Your body craves consistency and routine, so one of the keys to getting the sleep you need is to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, even on weekends and holidays. This requires a commitment to make sleep a high priority in your life.
It also is important to avoid sleep-disrupting substances such as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine in the evening and at night. Especially after a long or stressful day of work, try to give yourself some time to wind down before bedtime. Then if you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
You may want to supplement your nightly sleep with a brief nap if you feel sleepy after lunchtime. A twenty-to-forty minute nap in the early afternoon is long enough to boost your alertness for the remainder of the day, and it is short enough to keep you from feeling groggy and sluggish when you wake up.
Overcome Sleep Problems
An estimated 50 million to 70 million people in the U.S. suffer from a chronic sleep disorder. For many of them a good night’s sleep may seem like an unattainable dream.
Yet there is help available for those who struggle to sleep well or who suffer from a problem that disrupts or disturbs their sleep. Trusted medical care is available across the U.S. at more than 1,400 sleep disorders centers that are accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
These medical providers earned accreditation by proving that they meet the highest standards of quality patient care. The medical director at each of these sleep disorders centers is a board-certified sleep specialist who has experience at evaluating, diagnosing and treating people with any of the many different types of sleep disorders.
A sleep specialist at an AASM-accredited sleep disorders center will conduct a comprehensive sleep evaluation to determine the nature of your sleep problem. Then he or she may advise you to do either an overnight sleep study at the sleep disorders center or a home sleep test to gather the information needed for an accurate diagnosis.
Once the cause of your sleep problem is determined, the sleep specialist can develop an individual treatment plan for you. If necessary, the sleep disorders center then will provide long-term follow-up care to ensure that your treatment produces long-lasting results.
Eight Signs You May Need More Sleep In 2008
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, you need more sleep if:
1. You’re dependent on an alarm clock.
“The lawyer’s first thought in the morning is how to handle the case of the ringing alarm clock,” wrote Edward Packard Jr. Hitting the snooze button a couple times before getting up is a clear sign of sleep loss.
2. You’re drowsy driving.
Falling asleep at the wheel is a sure sign that you are too tired. It’s also dangerous—drowsy driving is a common cause of deadly auto accidents.
3. You’re attached to the coffee pot.
A cup of coffee to start your day is fine, but you shouldn’t have to drink coffee all day to stay awake.
4. You’re making mistakes.
It’s harder to focus and concentrate when you are tired. You’re easily distracted and you’re less likely to catch and fix errors.
5. You’re forgetful.
Sleep loss may explain why you have a hard time remembering things. Sleep deprivation hinders short-term memory.
6. You’re cranky, snippy and irritable.
Being tired can have a negative effect on your moods. It makes you more likely to feel depressed, anxious and frustrated.
7. You’re frequently getting sick.
Without sleep your immune system is not at full strength. It’s harder for your body to fight illness.
8. You’re sluggish throughout the day.
When you don’t get a full night of sleep, your body, in addition to your mind, does not function at its optimal level.
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RESOURCES
Grunstein RR, Banerjee D. The case of “Judge Nodd” and other sleeping judges — media, society, and judicial sleepiness. Sleep 2007;30(5):625-632. Available at: http://www.journalsleep.org/Articles/300513.pdf
Find an online directory of sleep disorders centers that are accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at www.sleepcenters.org.
Find valuable information about sleep and sleep disorders at www.sleepeducation.com
