For a long time, I didn’t take sleep very seriously. I was a master at burning the midnight oil and then rising early to take on a new day. I embraced this lifestyle as a part of my identity.

This ability to operate very effectively on minimal sleep had become an important part of who I was as a man. I viewed it as one of my strengths and wore it as a badge of honor. There were some positive benefits that came out of this behavior like keeping a regimented exercise routine and performing at a pretty high level at work. However, it also came with some dysfunction like becoming easily irritable and lacking patience for others. This habit reflected my belief that I could do it all myself and could rely very little on God.

I have met many men who have also embraced this lifestyle. Often times it is viewed as a part of what it means to be a high powered individual. I can recall many conversations with men who say things like “Yep I was up at 3:30 this morning. I worked for an hour or so and then I was off to the gym for a two-hour workout before getting to the office by 8:00 AM!”

Does this ring true for you?

In reality, many of you may read this and think I’m nuts for questioning it at all. However, is this really who God calls us to be? Does He call us to run at 100 miles an hour day in and day out? No, it not who He designed us to be. There are far too many scriptures about rest for this expectation to be true.

Psalm 4:8 “In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone Lord make me dwell in safety.”

Exodus 33:14 “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.”

Mathew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary burdened and I will give you rest.”

Since I started taking my sleep more seriously, I have seen a lot of amazing benefits. Such as:

– A clearer mind.
– More patience and less irritability.
– Performing at a much higher level at work and in the gym.
– My relationship with the Lord has also drastically improved because I am slowing down long enough to invite Him in and listen for His voice.

 If you want to get serious about your sleep habits, here are a few practical tips to get started: 

1. First, take 5-10 minutes to stretch and relax your body.
2. Second, get into bed at the same time every night. Even if you’re not ready to go to sleep, you will be more likely to hit your sleep goal if you’re in bed.
3. Third, find a way to shut down your mind. I suggest…
   – Ending screen time at least thirty minutes before getting to sleep.
   – Reading a book or writing in a journal.
   – Listening to calming music.
4. Lastly, I highly recommend finding a natural supplement to aid in the sleep and relaxation process. There are many to choose from like melatonin, magnesium, and tryptophan.

Keep in mind that we are all very different so it will be important to find a plan that works best for you.

Rest in Him and He will do a good work in you.

In the comments below, share your sleep habits. Are you a night owl, or an early riser? What do you do to fall asleep and stay asleep?

 

 Tom is married to his lovely wife, Meghan (RW RevWild Coordinator.) They have two kids Caden(13) and Madison (11). Tom and Meghan completed Instructor Training in Platoon 15.  He has hiked and shepherded the Revelation Wellness Grand Canyon hike called Rim to Him. His day job is in risk management and insurance which is fairly ironic because he likes doing risky things like surfing, skydiving, and obstacle races. God has blessed him abundantly in life and a lot of who he is can now can be attributed to getting healthy through his journey with Christ and Rev.

Thank you for reading this week’s RevTip on the Revelation Wellness Blog! Revelation Wellness hosts many events and retreats throughout the year — from Instructor Training to Rev on the Road to ReConnect: A Marriage Retreat! Check out our events HERE!