Even Daylight savings ending (traditionally one of my favourite days of the
year!) looks different with children who are still on the old time! No extra hour of snoozing here… I am constantly calculating how much sleep I’m
going to get – always trying for the elusive 8 hours…
But for those of us who don’t have young children – how much
do you value your sleep?
When I think of sleep, the first scripture that comes to mind is Prov 6:10 “A Little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” It’s enough to keep you up at night!
When I think of sleep, the first scripture that comes to mind is Prov 6:10 “A Little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” It’s enough to keep you up at night!
But it is worth remembering that this scripture is a warning
to the lazy, not a warning against getting a good night’s sleep.
It is commonly agreed that we need between 7 and 9 hours
sleep a night. Yet when was the last
time that you got the sleep that you need?
When did you last wake up feeling rested and ready for the day ahead of
you? Lack of sleep can have a similar
effect on your driving as alcohol.[1] Not sleeping enough can make you hungry and
more prone to disease. Sleep is
important!
In our increasingly 24 hour culture, it’s easy to allow all
the entertainment, distractions, demands and benefits that are available to us,
keep us wide eyed and sleepless in our beds! Yet God promises us rest;
“When you
lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will
be sweet.” Prov 3:6. What a great promise! Jesus himself says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you
rest.” Matt 11:28.
Anxiety and worry are well known sleep zappers, and are
things we should try to manage through applying God’s wisdom and by giving Him
our cares, but there are also lots of practical things you can do to help your
body and mind prepare for a good night’s sleep.
You can restrict your coffee intake later in the day
(caffeine can affect the onset and quality of your sleep). You can limit your exposure to artificial
light (think screens/phones/even bright house lights and particularly blue
light producing LED screens), and boost your exposure to natural daylight
during the day2. Make an
effort to get some exercise during the day and avoid substances that will
affect your sleep quality, such as alcohol.
Don’t let sleep be an afterthought – be deliberate about
making sure that you are taking care of yourself so that you can give God and
others your best during your waking hours.
NOTE: If you are
having trouble sleeping or are always tired, it is worth seeing your Doctor to
make sure that you are well and to work on a plan to help you get the rest you
need.
1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1739867/
Accessed 03.03.17
2 http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
Accessed 03.03.17.
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