Getting Proper Amounts of Rest
A lack of sleep has a whole host of consequences for our daily lives.
Our physical bodies are valuable gifts given to us by God. It is through our bodies that we interact with our world. It is through our bodies that we relate to other people. It is through our bodies that we work and play. It is through our bodies that we worship God. Therefore, taking care of our bodies can and should be considered a "spiritual" activity. God created all things, including our bodies. They are wonderful gifts to us. It is our responsibility to steward them as best as we can every single day.
One of the ways we care for our bodies is by getting proper amounts of sleep. Sleep is the God-ordained way for our bodies to recover from physical exertion. Our bodies are doing amazing stuff every day and they need the opportunity to rest and recover to keep doing them. We can only go so long without proper amounts of sleep. Not getting enough sleep will ultimately lead to a lack of concentration, strength, willpower, mental ability, etc. And this will affect the quality of anything we engage in.
A lack of sleep will affect the quality of our relationships. We won't be as present in a conversation or an activity with others. It will affect the quality of our work. We won't have the concentration to do our best work. It will affect our relationship with God. We won't have the motivation or capacity to spend time with the Lord in prayer or Scripture. It will affect the quality of our attitude and behavior. We won't have the willpower to exhibit behaviors that are in line with Scripture such as patience or self-control. A lack of sleep has a whole host of consequences for our daily lives.
Many years ago, I was having lunch with a friend who I hadn't seen in a while. I distinctly remember not being able to concentrate well in that conversation. The reason was simple: I didn't sleep well the night before. It wasn't because I had a lot of work to do and stayed up late. It wasn't because I had a hard time falling asleep. It was because I chose to stay up very late—probably watching television or playing a video game. And so, it was no surprise that I had such a hard time being present in the conversation. And I didn't contribute much to it. I remember apologizing to him a day later for being such bad company that day.
A lack of sleep will no doubt affect many parts of our lives in a negative way. We should consider ways to make sure that we get proper amounts of it every single day. It will help us be more present, do our best work, worship God well, and serve others more.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
