When I was a teenager, probably 14 or 15, I created a game called Sleepy Time. Not to be confused with the comforting tea, Sleepy Time (the game) was meant for kids I baby sat who had absolutely no interest in observing nap or bed time. It started out as a completely impromptu game with my younger cousins, and then quickly became a hit with kids and parents alike. In case it isn’t obvious, I’m making a much bigger deal out of it than it actually was, but in case you’re curious, here’s how the game worked:

The main idea was that kids had to pretend to be asleep and I would judge or rank them based on how convincing their “act” was. There were multiple rounds, and what the kids didn’t realize was that each “round” was longer than the last. So the hope and goal was that the longer they had to pretend to sleep, the more likely it would be that they would actually fall asleep. Their goal was to get a perfect 10/10. More often than not, it worked like a charm, so if you’re currently in the babysitting industry, feel free to give it a try. Also, you’re welcome.

Fighting sleep probably feels familiar, at least to some degree. I can remember that battle as a child myself, defying any suggestion that I take a nap or go to bed when I was supposed to. I look back now and don’t understand what I was thinking. I long for the days when sleep was encouraged and seemed to be a priority. Because the truth is, for most of us grown-ups nowadays, it’s not. 

One lesson I’m learning is that sleep is actually an important spiritual practice. If our bodies aren’t well-rested, our souls won’t be either. In many ways, they are one in the same.

You might know how that goes. You have a restless night and end up snapping at someone the next day, whether it be a family member, co-worker, or complete stranger; or the worries of the world are far more than one too many, leaving you anxious and sleep-deprived; or your responsibilities and to-do list just keep pushing you to the brink of exhaustion, and not only does your physical health suffer, but you find yourself unable to think clearly, to concentrate, or to do your work well. Sometimes, what’s wrong is that we’re just downright tired.

Now, I want to be clear, I understand that sleep can be a struggle. As someone who is an extremely light sleeper and as someone who has experienced bouts of insomnia before, my intention is not to judge or insinuate that if you don’t get a good night’s sleep every night, you’re doomed. I also want to acknowledge that there are certain seasons when sleep might be hard to grasp. That’s life, and we do the best we can. What I am naming though, is that there are times when we put sleep on the back burner, pride ourselves on the all-nighter, when we treat sleep like a luxury, or we convince ourselves that there are more important, more productive ways to spend our time. 

Yet we need sleep. We were created that way, wired with a need for physical rest. Our bodies need that time to recalibrate, rejuvenate, and reenergize so we can faithfully and sustainably do the work God calls us to do and be the people God calls us to be.

There’s a story in the Bible that shows us just how essential sleep is for us as human beings, because we see the person of Jesus sleep in the middle of pretty chaotic circumstances. Jesus had just finished ministering to people and leads his disciples to board a boat with him. While on the boat, and after a long day of good work, Jesus falls asleep. In Mark 4, we read:

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

It’s easy to read stories like this one and think that Jesus just didn’t care. That he was selfish, apathetic, or ignorant. The disciples basically admit as much in the question they ask: “don’t you care if we drown?” But I believe Jesus was leaning into his humanity. I believe it was precisely because Jesus cared that he decided to lay down and rest. 

If we read the passages surrounding the one we just read, we’ll see that Jesus was busy being the person God called him to be and doing the work called God him to do. He was ministering to the crowds, casting out demons, healing the sick, caring for the poor and marginalized, and speaking truth in love. Immediately before this passage, Jesus is teaching and interacting with a crowd, and immediately following this passage, Jesus casts out a legion of demons before healing a sick woman and bringing a young girl back to life. Jesus wasn’t lazy or careless or selfish; he was tired. So he slept.

I wonder why it can be so difficult for us to follow his example? Maybe it’s that we are so acutely aware of the waves crashing all around, of the work there is to do in the world around us, that we forget we aren’t in this alone. We forget the reminder from Psalm 121, that we are kept by a God who never sleeps nor slumbers. God doesn’t sleep, so we can. We can rest in the arms of a God who is right there with us in the midst of the overwhelm. And that is good news, a soothing lullaby for weary souls. 

So what might it look like to treat sleep like a spiritual practice? In his book, The Good and Beautiful God, James Bryan Smith shares some tips. He suggests, and I quote:

“At least one day this week sleep until you cannot sleep any more. If you need to, find a day when you can sleep in. Your aim is to sleep, or to stay in bed, until you can finally say, I am completely rested. I do not need to sleep or stay in bed a minute longer. You may need to solicit the help of others if you have family members who need your care.”

He continues, 

“If you are unable to do this exercise, try another: aim to get at least seven hours of sleep at least three times this week. This may require going to bed earlier than usual.”

If you struggle to fall asleep, he also suggests not forcing it. Instead, maybe read a book, meditate on a psalm, listen to soft music, or sit up until you get drowsy. As we all know, tossing and turning rarely works. And if you wake up in the middle of the night and don’t have to get up, maybe just stay in bed, giving your body a chance to fall back asleep.

These are simply suggestions, because the truth is, there isn’t one set formula or prescription for a good night’s rest or a refreshing afternoon nap; we are all different. Different needs, different preferences, different life circumstances. But the goal is to figure out what works best for each of us, right where we are, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. Because there is Kingdom work to do and we need good rest to do it. When we wake up, the world will still be spinning; but we’ll see it with fresh eyes and we’ll be able to engage it with new energy, coming from a place of rest.

So today, if you’re feeling exhausted or run down, remember, sometimes the most holy thing you can do is take a nap. Go to bed. Sleep on it. May we trust that we are kept by the God who never sleeps nor slumbers, resting in the promise of new morning mercies and a soft place to land.