I Need Sleep!
Photo by Alexandra Gorn
This month I have been addressing things we can do to give ourselves a personal “spring cleaning.” This week I want to discuss sleep since sleep is a significant influence on our health. Good sleep is obviously needed to help us lead productive lives - but why does it seem at times that the rest we so badly want and need stays just beyond our reach?
I believe that lack of sleep affects all areas in your life - spirit, soul, and body. The reasons for insomnia is usually a combination of all three realms. I know that at times sleep has alluded me; it has been because of a natural circumstance that affected the realm of my soul (mind, will, and emotions).
The first step is to recognize or determine what is the root cause of your sleeplessness. Is it due to natural things such as a bad mattress, pillow, a sleeping environment, or the lack of sleep caused by stress in your life such as school, a work project, a relational problem, or circumstances beyond your control? Again, I am no expert on health issues. However, I did find a site that I believe gives very practical tips you can do to help in the natural. The authors provide ideas on how to get the sleep you need. Here is a link to that site: www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm
I suggest, however, that if you are unsure of why you can’t sleep - talk to God about it first! He made you, He knows what is best for your personal “operating system.” Tell Him what things are bothering you - its ok to “unload” on God. In fact, he wants you to - 1 Peter 5:6-7 reads:
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time, casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
God really cares about everything you are going through and what things are bothering you. However, He does not want you to wallow in those things and keep them as a burden on yourself. He tells us to give ALL of the things that are bothering you to Him - and here is the key... LEAVE THEM!!! Most of the time, we talk to God about a problem, and instead of leaving it with Him, we pick it back up and take it with us. My friend, God cannot do anything with your care as long as it is in your hands. I once heard a great illustration of this. Taking back your care after giving it to God is like a quarterback throwing the ball to his receiver. Then right before the receiver is about to cross over into the end zone - he tackles him and takes the ball back! Now that doesn’t make any sense in the natural, yet we do it all the time to God. He is the best receiver you will ever meet. Trust God to take your care and turn it into a victory dance for you!
Here are some scriptures on sleep. I suggest that if you are having a problem with this - lookup these scriptures and write them out. Then before bed, read them out loud and finish by praying and thanking God for giving you peaceful sleep.
Psalm 127:2. Psalm 4:8. John 16:33. Proverbs 3:24. Psalm 29:11. Mark 4:39. John 16:33
Sweet Dreams!