When we look around at the poor state of the Spiritual health of American Christians it might feel like a stretch but a lot of it has to do with a "poor sleep hygiene" affecting our families, our work, and our physical health. And because everything in the body is connected it also impacts us spiritually.
Sleep as Spiritual Discipline
In the Psalms, David shows that peaceful sleep is an act of trust and a sign of humility. “I lie down and sleep,” David said, “I wake again, because the Lord sustains me” (Ps 3:5–6). He also said, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Ps 4:8). Getting a good night’s rest shows that we know God is in control and will watch over us when we are at our most vulnerable.
Sleep is a sign of trust and humility. But it’s also a spiritual discipline. As D. A. Carson says,
"Sometimes the Godliest thing you can do in the universe is get a good night’s sleep—not pray all night, but sleep. I’m certainly not denying that there may be a place for praying all night; I’m merely insisting that in the normal course of things, spiritual discipline obligates you get the sleep your body need."
Like most spiritual disciplines, to be most effective sleep requires both a change in attitude and a change in habits. Here are a few things I learned and practical steps I’ve taken to better develop the spiritual activity of rest:
Get Enough Sleep
There are a number of factors that affect the quality of your rest, the most important being how long you sleep each night.
The amount of sleep a person needs varies from individual to individual and changes over the course of their lifetime. But if you’re like most people, chances are you’re not getting adequate sleep to be fully rested.
Here is the average number of hours of sleep, based on age, a person needs every day:
6 to 13 years of age: 9 to 11 hours
14 to 17 years of age: 8 to 10 hours
18 to 25 years of age: 7 to 9 hours
26 to 64 years of age: 7 to 9 hours
65 and older: 7 to 8 hours
The amount of sleep you need is largely due to your genetic makeup—it’s out of your control. Statistically speaking, you’re likely not in the group who can get away with less sleep. So stop kidding yourself into thinking you can function with less and schedule the amount of sleep you really need.
You Know This Stuff...Just Do It Already
Chances are that you know about many or all of these ideas already. I did too. But as Samuel Johnson once said, “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” Take this as a reminder to try sleep in order to improve your Spiritual habits.
Show God you trust him and are a good steward of his resources by deciding to do more to get a good night’s sleep.
Try to intentionally get the right amount of sleep for a week and note how your Spirit feels after trying to sleep better for a week.
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