That elusive good night’s sleep

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Live long, live well”

Our Bible verse for today: “I will both lie down and sleep in peace.” Psalm 4:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “That elusive good night’s sleep”

This will be the last devotional message in this series about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. I have dedicated several days to this topic because it’s such an important part of healthy living. Poor sleep has a significant negative impact on our health in the short-term because it causes us to go through our days groggy and grumpy, with an energy deficit and impaired cognitive function; but it also impacts us long-term. A sustained pattern of sleep deprivation is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline.

Therefore, poor sleep cannot be God’s will for us. As good stewards of the physical body which God has given us, and in our continuing efforts to take good care of that body, we must identify and correct the problems contributing to our poor sleep. As we have already learned, having a good mattress to sleep on is essential. It’s the foundation upon which a good night’s sleep is built.

Beyond that, there are many other strategies for improving the quality of your sleep. Avoid caffeine in the evening; keep your bedroom cool and quiet; avoid agitating stimulation in the evening such as scary or violent movies or television, disturbing news programs, and arguments with family members.

Another important step that can be taken to improve sleep is to lose weight. The heavier you are the more difficult it is to sleep well. Breathing becomes more difficult, often resulting in sleep apnea. This is where medical intervention becomes necessary. A CPAP machine can help. Sometimes non-prescription sleep aids can also be helpful, or even something stronger prescribed by a doctor.

If you do a GOOGLE search on this topic you will be directed to numerous good websites which offer suggestions and strategies for sleeping better.

The point is that good sleep is an essential part of good health and there are many interventions, small and large, which can help us to sleep better. If you are not sleeping well, I encourage you to take the action necessary to identify the sleep-stealers in your life and to correct or improve as many of them as possible. You will feel better and your body will thank you for it.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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