Women
"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)
Most women are no strangers to bouts of sleepless nights, but an unlucky few have to deal with insomnia on an almost nightly basis. Insomnia can have a very negative impact on the quality of your life. Thankfully, there are quite a few things you can try to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Here are five tips that can help you settle down at night and get a good night's rest:
1) Sleep at the same time every night
Insomnia is common in people with erratic sleeping habits. If you enjoy a varied sleep schedule, then you may need to sacrifice that luxury in order to get better rest. Your brain will quickly get used to going to sleep at the same time every night, and will naturally begin to wind down when that time approached.
2) Get regular exercise
Burn off your excess energy and stress by sticking to a daily exercise routine. Regular exercise can really help to regulate your body and keep everything working properly, even your sleep. If you find that exercising later in the evening gives you too much energy to get to bed, then you should exercise in the morning instead.
3) Avoid caffeine later in the day
Our culture has a love affair with a chemical that is specifically used to inhibit tiredness. You may not have to cut your caffeine intake completely, but you may want to be mindful of when you have it. Try seeing if it helps you sleep at night to only drink coffee in the early morning and not again throughout the day.
4) Turn down the lights
If a lot of light is hitting your retina in the evening hours, then it will trick your brain into thinking that it is still time to stay awake and alert. Try turning off and dimming lights in the few hours before you want to head to bed, and try not to stare at too many bright screens during this time either. Once your brain notices that it has gotten darker, it will naturally begin producing the chemicals necessary to induce sleep.
5) Ask God for help
"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)
The spiritually inspiring Psalm above teaches us that true peace, the kind of peace which allows us to find a good night's sleep, is only possible with God. Repeat these words of encouragement to yourself every night before bed as you spend some time in prayer, and ask God to help you quiet your mind and your body so that you can get some rest.
As you can see, sleeping habits can be enormously impacted by daytime habits. If you avoid coffee later in the day, get regular exercise, go to bed at the same time every night, turn down the lights, and turn your mind to God when it's time for bed, then you will likely start seeing a big difference in the quality and quantity of your sleep.
Spiritual Prayer
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.