Everybody has a bad night once in a while, and last night was my turn. Worries and what-if’s kept me awake, and we all know that daytime problems grow into monsters during the night.
Although I looked up at the night sky through my headboard windows, the stars twinkling there didn’t calm my fears as they usually do. I tried to quote Scripture but couldn’t think of anything appropriate. Praying only re-listed the problems and brought me back to square one: heart-pounding anxiety.
I knew a measure of optimism would arrive with the dawn, so I kept checking the sky for light. When it finally came, a new concern took over: how was I going to get through a busy day without having a night’s sleep?
My college president said, “Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.” That sounds pretty good, except that apprehension gobbles up resolve like Pac Man gobbles up dots, and middle-of-the-night fears easily overwhelm spiritual logic.
It isn’t that I was doubting God’s sovereignty or his ability to protect my loved ones, answer my prayers or solve my problems. It’s that the small troubles had grown larger than common sense. During the night when I was awake, common sense had gone to sleep.
Now, as I’m writing this, it’s dark again, and another bedtime approaches. Although most nights bring sweet sleep, tonight I’m uneasy because of last night. A worry-wart frame of mind doesn’t testify to God’s sufficiency, though, and besides that, it’s no fun.
So I decided to be proactive and run to God in the daytime as preparation for the next bad night. The saints of old must have had trouble with nighttime fears too, because what I found in stories about them wobbling in their confidence was that God reminded them again and again of how he’d come through in their past. For example, he mentioned Pharaoh chasing them but “the sea engulfing their enemies.”
I personalized that, remembering victories in my own life when circumstances were bleak and God came through. I also latched onto some of his pertinent promises: “I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”*
God told me he was abiding in and around me, and that he was watching over me because I was more important to him than the animals he created. He reminded me I was his adopted daughter and encouraged me to call him “Abba”, Daddy. And he said, “I love you, and perfect love casts out fear.” **
Tonight I’m ready. I’m going to bed with a weapon under my pillow: printed Scripture verses that speak to my specific worries. It’ll be almost like having my head in God’s lap.
” Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)
* Isaiah 43:1 ** 1 John 4:18
When our daughter, Amy, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer I spent my nights in tears and praying. My praying seemed useless as I tried to put into words the things I could not comprehend. The night was definetly an enemy. But it was in the dark of the night that I came to know in a very practical way the tender care of my Heavenly Father and His amazing peace. Thank you, Margaret, for this reminder of God’s love and care.
A common thread we all have to deal with in life on earth; F – false
E – evidence
A – appearing
R – real
Think about it ! Because we belong to God…the enemy hates us, robs us (of sleep too), and our Lord Jesus is a prayer away – always. Because you’re His beloved, receive His rest in your mind, body and spirit….verbally…each night/day..as you need. He NEVER fails.
You ARE blessed and covered by that blessing made to Abraham by God himself, we are the generational seed of that promise of God….and have every right to exercise it’s power in our lives today….just as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did…..by Jesus, the cross and the Holy Spirit. May His peace engulf you and give you rest.
For years I have experienced a 2-hour period of wakefulness most nights, usually around 3-5AM. I used to toss in frustration at this curse, then I discovered it was really a blessing in disguise. I accepted it as a gift from God and invested this precious time in Bible reading and talking to God. There were no interuptionss and no visual distractions and after 2 hours I returned to sleep peacefully. The key to getting enough sleep in two pieces was retiring at 9pm. I typed out a list of my favorite most comforting verses to reflect on at that time and kept my prayer time focused as “together time” with my Heavenly Daddy spent in thanksgiving and praise. Intercession for others and supplication for my own problems I addressed during the daytime. This was especially valuable after my husband died, when a period of anxiety threatened to overwhelm me. Refocusing on the One who loves me unconditionally forever and wanted to be my Forever Husband, instead of obsessing about the challenges and problems, calmed my anxiety. I am so fortunate to belong to Him.
tidbits of insomnia research when a dear friend had a bout with sleeplessness. Hope it helps. I’ve actually used a number of the suggestions from time to time and they indeed are effective.
· A few walnuts before bed. There’s something in them that is a natural sedative.
· Aromatherapy oil massage – generous use of lavender–lavender eye mask, lavender drawer liners, lavender oil dropped on light bulb of lamp on night stand, lavender plants, sprinkling lavender water on your sheets and pillow case. It has natural properties to help you relax and fall asleep.
· Use one of those pillows with the indent to reduce neck strain and promote sleep.
· sleep on your back or side.
· breathe deeply for 3-5 minutes, 2x/day.
· Sip chamomile tea
· go to bed only when sleepy
· relaxed walking helps one fall asleep easily. Walking in nature sometime during the day; meditating, stretches, prayers, singing soulful music, listening to meditative music (including waterfalls, rain falling), reading scriptures, place a small water fountain in your bedroom to hear the relaxing water fall.
· Exercise daily – but in the early part of the day; avoid vigorous exercise three hours before bed.
· Our digestive system slows at night. So, it is harder to digest late meals. Avoid heavy meals before bedtime.
· Avoid large meals and excessive fluids before bed; Try eating a light snack before going to bed, but don’t eat too much right before bedtime.
· Limit light
· Mask background noise in the bedroom throughout the night.
· Sleep with cooler temperatures
· Use the bed only to sleep and avoid using it for reading and watching TV. Don’t eat, talk on the phone or watch TV while you’re in bed. Sexual activity is an exception (just for reference – smile).
· Maintain a Fixed wake time.
· Develop a “winding down” routine before going to bed. Do the same thing every night. For example, gradually dim or switch off lights as the evening goes on, take a warm bath, drink a cup of chamomile tea or warm milk, listen to soothing music and then read for 10 minutes every night. Soon you’ll connect these activities with sleeping, and doing them will help make you sleepy. Don’t get into any animated discussions or arguments or major decision making after 9pm if that’s possible
· If you’re still awake after trying to fall asleep for 15 – 30 minutes, get up and go to another room. Sit quietly for about 20 minutes before going back to bed. Do this as many times as you need to until you can fall asleep.
· Limit naps to less than 15 minutes unless directed by your doctor.
· Avoid or limit your use of caffeine (coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate), decongestants, and tobacco.
· Avoid alcohol- it is a leading cause of poor sleep.
· Drink a cup of warm milk.
· Try using a sleep mask and ear plugs at night.
· Take medications that may be stimulating long before bedtime.
· Wearing loose clothing can help sleep thru hot flashes
· Spicy foods can cause sleep disturbances.
· Keep a sleep diary. If the cause of your insomnia is not clear, your doctor may suggest that you fill out a sleep diary. The diary will help you keep track of when you go to bed, how long you lie in bed before falling asleep, how often you wake during the night, when you get up in the morning and how well you sleep. A sleep diary may help you and your doctor identify patterns and conditions that may be affecting your sleep.
· Just before bedtime places your feet in a warm water bath while covering the head with a wet, lukewarm cloth for about ten minutes, after which the feet are to be wiped dry and the wet cloth removed ?this not only helps get better sleep but also helps relax mind and body ??
· Massage warm sesame oil to the soles of the feet.
· Try always to be cheerful and replace all negative thoughts with positive
· Constipation could disturb sleep so it is essential to be relieved of it. Regular bowel habits help you sleep better.
· Viewing horror movies, reading literature, which makes the mind overactive, prevents the mind from sleeping.
· The night meal should be light and an hour after that the person should drink half a cup of milk mixed with 4 spoons of onion juice and 1 spoon of powdered crystal sugar. ??
· Diet is especially important when treating sleep disorders, and it is essential to rule out food intolerances as a cause. In one study of infants, sleeplessness was eliminated by removing cow’s milk from the diet and then reproduced by its reintroduction.
· eat a high-carbohydrate snack and avoid high-protein foods in the hour or two before bed time.
· In the evening, eat turkey, bananas, figs, dates, yogurt, milk, tuna, and whole grain crackers or nut butter. These foods are high in tryptophan, which promotes sleep. Eating a grapefruit half at bedtime also helps.
· Avoid bacon, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, spinach, tomatoes, and wine close to bedtime. These foods contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.
Foods to Eat to promote sleep
· Chlorophyll-rich foods, such as leafy, green. vegetables, steamed or boiled.
· Microalgae, such as chlorella and spirulina.
· Oyster shell can be purchased in health food stores and taken as a nutritional supplement.
· Whole grains: Whole wheat, brown rice, and oats have a calming and soothing effect on the nervous system and the mind. Carbohydrates also boost serotonin, which promotes better sleep.
· Mushrooms (all types)
· Fruit, especially mulberries and lemons, which calm the mind.
· Seeds: jujube seeds are used to calm the spirit and support the heart. Chia seeds also have a sedative effect.
· Dill
· Basil
· Foods such as bread, bagels, and crackers that are high in complex carbohydrates have a mild sleep-enhancing effect because they increase serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter that promotes sleep.
· A glass of warm milk with honey is one of the oldest and best remedies for insomnia. Milk contains tryptophan which, when converted to seratonin in the body, induces sleep and prevents waking.
· Lettuce has a long-standing reputation for promoting healthy sleep. This is due to an opium-related substance combined with traces of the anticramping agent hyoscyarnin present in lettuce. Lettuce should be an integral part of your evening diet if you are suffering from sleep disorders. The meal should also include legumes, peanuts, nutritional yeast, fish or poultry. These foods contain vitamin B3 (niacin). Niacin is involved in seratonin synthesis and promotes healthy sleep. Mixed with a little lemon juice for flavor, lettuce juice is an effective sleep-inducing drink highly preferable to the synthetic chemical agents in sleeping pills.
Sweet dreams Margaret. God loves you so much and His perfect love does cast out fear.
pic r less otherwise NICE
Most of the chlorella that is available in the U.S. is grown in Japan or Taiwan. It is processed and made into tablets and liquid extracts. These extracts contain “chlorella growth factor,” which is described as a water-soluble extract of chlorella containing chemicals including amino acids, peptides, proteins, vitamins, sugars, and nucleic acids.,-*.
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