A Sleep Study

Did you know that if you live to be 80 years old, you will have spent more than 26 years of your life asleep? Let me repeat that – if God gives you fourscore years, you will have spent 26 of those years lying unconscious! Obviously, that is a significant chunk of our short time on planet Earth. In addition to that, you will also spend roughly seven years tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep. Needless to say, sleep is a big part of our lives, and for many reasons. Sleep not only consumes roughly one third of our lifetime, it also has a significant impact on our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

I feel comfortable suggesting, everyone reading this article has dealt with sleep issues of some kind at some point. A year ago or so, after not sleeping well for several months, I began to study the subject of sleep from a Biblical perspective. I was somewhat surprised to learn how often sleep is mentioned in the Bible and how much God’s Word actually has to say about this issue. As a Christian, I should have known the Scriptures would appropriately address a behavior that so drastically influences the quality of our lives and consumes such a large quantity of our lives. While I may be able to give you some practical advice on how to sleep better or fall asleep quicker, I am not a sleep doctor. But through the next couple of articles, I want to address some of what the Bible has to say about sleep and what we can learn from sleep. 

The first thought I want to share with you is this: sleep is a good gift from God. Psalm 127:2 states, “He gives His beloved sleep.” Every parent has silently walked into their kid’s bedroom at night to check on them as they sleep. Maternal instinct makes a mom rock back and forth with her sleeping baby in her arms, or gently pat their infant on the back as they rest. Some sort of similar image should warm the heart of every child of God, knowing our Loving Heavenly Father is watching over us as we sleep. The saved are His beloved children, and He is pleased to see us resting well under His care. 

Additionally, Proverbs 3:24 says, “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.” Though this is a proverb, and not a promise, still the general premise remains … God delights to give His treasured children the good gift of sweet sleep. Not just sleep, the writer says – but sweet sleep. As you know, there are few feelings more pleasant than waking up refreshed from a good night of sleep. Our bodies are designed in such a way as to need sleep. Rest, in particular sleeping well, is something akin to rebooting a computer. As our body enters and exits the various stages of sleep each night, our brain, muscles, and organs reset and heal. Just as much as we need food, oxygen, water and shelter, so also do we need sleep. Hence, God lovingly gifts us with the blessing of sleep. 

Having said that, anyone who has lived long on this planet also knows, we don’t always sleep well. In fact, we have all faced seasons where sleep eludes us, and despite our best efforts, we just don’t rest well. Now, that doesn’t mean the passage I shared above is false, or the author is mistaken. Instead, I remind you, this was a proverb (a general truth about how life usually works) … not an absolute promise that you’ll always get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. As you Bible students know, we live in a world that has been cursed by sin. And one result of that curse is that all kinds of issues of life keep us from rightly enjoying this good gift of sleep. I feel confident, Adam and Eve slept just fine until they ate the forbidden fruit and threw humanity into chaos. Therefore, God is not to blame for us not resting well each night.

Often, we are our own worst enemy. We stay up too late, consume too much caffeine, and stare at our phones or TVs until the wee hours of the morning. We fret, replay problems in our mind, stress over finances, and worry about things out of our control. Other times, things happen that are out of our control. Death comes and not only takes a loved one from us, but it also robs us of sleep. Sickness, pain, and heartache all affect how well we sleep at night. We certainly cannot control every circumstance of life, but we should do what we can to be good stewards of our bodies so we can rest well and be better equipped to serve God and others.

Too many mornings, we thoughtlessly jump (or crawl) out of bed and fail to thank God for the gift of sleep. Sleeping soundly and safely through the night is a blessing from a loving Father and should be enjoyed, appreciated, and used for our bodily good and to bring God glory. 

Let me close by listing five things that will help you sleep at night: a redeemed soul, a trusting heart, a clear conscience, a renewed mind, and a tired body. So, if you’re consistently having trouble sleeping at night, you should find out why. And maybe instead of counting sheep, you should be talking to the Shepherd.