Wellbeing: An Invitation to a Flourishing LifeSample

Sleep: Your God-gifted Super Power

God, in creating humanity, has fully equipped us to deal with the impact of the challenges of living. One way is through the gift of sleep.

Scientists have only recently come to understand the importance of adequate sleep. For most people, that’s 8 – 10 hours a night. Some would say it is one of the top three physical necessities for a healthy life (after food and water).

While you sleep, some amazing things happen. Good sleep allows your mind to sort through your experiences of the day, consolidating information and creating long-term memories. While you sleep, you release hormones that regulate your sleep patterns and help your body grow and repair itself. Your sympathetic nervous system, responsible for your fight or flight response (often on high alert after a stressful day), can relax, reducing stress hormones. While you sleep, your immune system can do its best work fighting inflammation, infection, and healing injuries.

Often we can be robbed of sleep because we get caught up in the cares and worries of the day. When life gets busy, sleep is often one of the things we drop first, but this can only make our problems worse. In Psalm 127:1-2, we are reminded that “unless God builds the house, the builders labour in vain... In vain you you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat; for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

If the busyness of life is stopping us from prioritising our sleep, we should take note of what sort of house we are building. God grants sleep to those he loves, if you’re working too hard to sleep, it might not be Him that you are working for.

Thought Point: What would it look like for you to sleep the full amount you require every night? What needs to change about your lifestyle or your workload for you to get to that point?

Prayer Point: Thank God for the blessing of sleep and ask Him to allow you to rest securely in His provision for all your needs.