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Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you (Psalm 116:7, ESV).
Recent studies on the negative impact of not sleeping well at night depict hazards to our health that, if read, will keep us awake at night.
- Less than seven hours of sleep increases the risk of dementia
- Insufficient sleep increases the risk of inflammation, with the side effects of arthritis and heart disease
- Watching TV at night, going to bed late, and waking up in the middle of the night all take 90 to 100 years off your life span (Ok, I’m exaggerating a bit.)
Listed below are three “before you sleep” disciplines that will help you get more sleep in 2026…
- Restore God’s grace
Ephesians 4:26 instructs us not to let the sun go down on our anger. A few verses later, the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4:29 that our conversations should bestow grace.
I ask two questions based upon these two verses: “Am I angry at anyone? What do I need to do tomorrow about this anger?” And, “In my conversations today, did I give grace, and if not, what do I need to do differently tomorrow?”
Anger, frustration, or bitterness toward others is the #1 Sleep Enemy. Keeping it at bay requires a nightly forgiveness cleansing by the grace of God.
- Renew God’s presence nightly
When I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night (Psalm 63:6).
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7)
At the core of all blessings in life is the presence of God. We must seek it above all else. Though the Spirit resides within believers, we don’t notice God’s presence, so we live unaware of how to constantly dwell with God.
Every night, I renew God’s presence by saying, “Thank you, God, for being with me today. Calm my sleep and let me follow your steps tomorrow.” Experiencing His presence will grow from this simple discipline, and your sleep will improve.
- Practice Spiritual Warfare
You will not fear the terror of the night (Psalm 91:5).
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8)
Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but all the psychologists that I’ve read who promote better sleep patterns don’t mention spiritual warfare. Our sleeping becomes Satan’s playground without the protection of God’s Spirit. How many times have we dreamed impure dreams or been scared awake by a sense of terror?
Pray every night, “God, protect me, my house, and my family while I sleep. Let your angels guard my sleeping. I pray the peace of your presence tonight.”
Sleep done correctly allows your brain to physically clean itself of the waste by-products from the previous day’s brain function, which is why we wake up groggy (brain not swept clean) without a good night’s sleep. The brain reacts spiritually in the same manner to temptations, poisoned thoughts, doubts, and anger washed clean by a subconscious cleansing by the blood of Christ.
With a good night’s sleep, we wake up with energy and hope for the upcoming day.