I love the list of sleep remedies - I especially love the Greek alphabet idea (now if only I knew it). I have struggled with sleep a long time, as well. My husband can fall asleep in about 10 seconds and also has no problem the next day if he has less sleep than normal. When I get less than 6 or 7 hours, I'm a wreck. You can imagine how my mental health went once I had small children. It's part of why I absolutely had to stop following crunchy parenting influencers who seemed beyond blase about sleep. I put in some serious boundaries and only then did things improve! That being said, there's some inevitability to sleeplessness as a parent, and probably also if you're not! A while back I had a great opportunity to produce a piece about sleeplessness nights and the nightmares, dreams, hopes, poetry, et all they inspire. https://www.goethe.de/prj/tbp/en/eps/thn.html
Nowadays, my rituals tends to be - kids in bed no later than 830 (ideally). Phone off/devices off by 9 (unless husband and I are watching a movie). Hot shower, Gregorian or Byzantine chant, a page or two of the Gospels, 'fun' reading (only fiction at night, often something light), and I usually sleep holding a rosary and drift off saying Hail Marys in my head. I'm usually out by 11 and up by 6 and feel okay. Sleeping pills and melatonin have sometimes been necessary but I can't stand the morning grogginess so I try to avoid when I can.
Thanks for thinking on this topic, Griffin - it's important, and yes very impactful to our spiritual lives!
A truly beautiful poem! Also love the audio aspect as well, definitely ups its coolness for sure. My wife and I also do strictly fiction reading before bed. Any sort of theological or nonfiction reading would just keep my brain working too much.
Thanks so much for sharing this Katie! Iām so happy you enjoyed!
"Most of my sleep struggles are due to anxiety struggles." You and me both, man. I'm such a chronic insomniac that it has, on a couple occasions, affected my safety on the road. I don't understand people who can just lie down and fall asleep, but I envy them: I'm 100% in the camp of "not being able to turn my brain off" when I get into bed, whether it's general lowgrade stress about life, trying to plan for stuff that's coming up, overthinking stuff I've already done, or mounting paranoia related to nothing at all. (Anxiety is fun.) This was such a helpful post, and I loved how you reframed the conversation in terms of the spiritual life. I've been trying to work on my sleep hygiene, but I always think of it in terms of modern health culture, or future productivity--"if I don't sleep, I'll be less effective at X and Y and won't be able to do as much the next day", rather than as a human rhythm through which we can offer ourselves to God. I've started trying to 1) journal 2) practice some form of contemplative prayer (like the Examen) and then 3) read for a while before bed, (as well as cutting back on coffee š), and it DOES help, but it also feels like so much work for something that should just be "a normal thing that people are supposed to be able to do"?? I guess all habits are like that, though: eating well or exercising well or praying well...it does take work.
Ugh I am so sorry. Insomnia is trulllllyyyyy the worst. I do like that journaling and examen idea though! I havenāt made an effort to write anything before bed as of yet but that actually sounds kind of soothing.
Also! The worst change I had to make for sleep hygiene was pushing back caffeine until 90 minutes after waking up. Itās truly so hard, but it really has helped a ton. Only recommend it to those who are desperate though!
between this and O. Alan Nobleās stuff about getting out of bed, the average evangelical substacker can now both get to sleep AND get up in the morning. Nothing can stop us now!
But actuallyā incredible work! What an important topic for believers. Appreciate the clarity on the demonic. I find it interesting the pockets of psychological study that simply canāt gain headway on things like sleep, and how often there is this spiritual layer underneath psychologyās lack of ability to fully comprehend these things.
Like others here, I will sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back to sleep. I had a great night of sleep last night, and when my alarm went off this morning, I started by praying and thanking God for such a good night's sleep...which led me to fall back to sleep for an hour. So I think I'll try thanking God for the many blessings in my life the next time I wake up in the middle of the night.
Fellow insomniac here, and this was gratifyingly relatable. I've struggled with sleep since childhood, I think one of the most isolating things about insomnia is that you feel, well, isolated. Like you're the only person yearning for a place you just can't get to on a nightly basis. It's certainly very anxiety-inducing, which of course, makes the path to sleep completely inaccessible. I saw a video recently where a sleep psychologist recommended putting your "to-do" thoughts into mental file folders, one by one, because it gives your brain the room it needs to do its maintenance and clean up work in order to rest. Of course, I have to turn that into "prayer folders" because of course I do, but I do find that it helps. "That email goes into tomorrow's mental to-do folder and Lord give me the wisdom then to know how to respond, that writing assignment goes into next week's folder and Lord, help me find the words when the time comes, etc."
Thanks so much for reading Glenna! The isolation really does feel scary. I love the idea of doing a mental file folder. I feel like that would help me out so much. Thanks for sharing (and reading)!
In recent years, I have become a āwake at 3am for no good reasonā kind of sleeper. A friend at church gave me the idea to name things that start with different letters from the alphabet when you brain starts to take off. For example, Iāll try to think of animals that starts with each letter of the alphabet and work my way through. By doing this, my brain doesnāt get the chance to start thinking on its own about all the things/ruminating/ etcā¦ and it forces it to just hone in on this one task. It slows my brain down and gets it back to sleepy mode and I usually fall back asleep somewhere around the letter āWā. Hope this is helpful for someone š
gosh that is such god advice! I need to employ something like this because my mind needs to feel occupied with something. Such great advice. Thanks so much Mackenzie!
Iāve struggled to fall asleep my entire life. I have the same problem quieting my mind. Thank you for this!
In recent years, I found something that has helped me tremendously. I listen to audiobooks when I fall asleep (with noise canceling headphones). Not every audiobook works - as you can imagine, some are too stimulating - but by trial and error, Iāve found the kinds that do. I got myself through the early stages of the pandemic by slowly listening to the historian Tom Hollandās āDominionā - an excellent book on history with a fantastic narrator.
If you try it, just be sure to set the program to a timer (I usually choose 90 minutes). You donāt want the audiobook invading your dreams.
I started this practice with an audio Bible (David Suchet reading the NIVUK version is a favorite as he has such a soothing voice).
I find that listening to an audiobook really quiets my anxious mind by distracting it. Itās hard to hear myself think with someone reading to me.
That is such a great idea!! On some nights when I canāt get my thoughts to stop racing, I play a podcast, but that sometimes keeps me stimulated because theyāre usually conversations. But I feel like one consistent audiobook narrator would be very soothing (poor Tom Holland though; I imagine he didnāt plan on dominion becoming a sleeper hit lol). Thanks so much for sharing Rebekah!
Thereās a good reason why sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture.
Great that you addressed the spiritual aspect, too! I think this is something we can overlook as parents if our children are having problems sleeping, for no apparent reason, or they are having nightmares.
Thanks for this thoughtful piece, Griffin. When theology gets practical, it's just the best.
I did some (much less thorough) thinking about this a few years ago, and came across a sermon by John Baillie on the theology of sleep that might be of interest to you - it's in his book Christian Devotions (OUP, 1962). It was a footnote in Tish Harrison Warren's Liturgy of the Ordinary that put me onto it.
Jk this was lovely to read. I agree, it's strange how little we as Christians we have in terms of a theology of sleep. I was told stories of my dad seeing angels/demons before bed when I was little which caused sleep anxiety most of my life growing up. Probably need to talk about that in spiritual direction LOL.
Great job at balancing the spiritual powers at play with sleep, along with practical tips.
I have severe insomnia. Have had it since high school. I have three solutions that worked for me:
1. Magnesium supplement (preferably magnesium glycinate if you haven't ever taken magnesium. It's remarkable. It relaxes you and gets you in the proper mood for sleep. Helps you rest well and wake up restful. The best part is it doesn't leave you groggy in the morning and helps you focus through the day, not to mention the benefits with bones, nerves, and general cognition).
2. I use my Eastern Orthodox prayer book. Before bed, I kneel before my icons, light a few candles, turn my big light off and only have my lamp lit, and quietly say the prayers. It's not a performance. God doesn't require anything. Just pray these prayers and spend time with the One Who brings peace and rest. Say all the prayers for the evening. Yes, it will take some time. However, it's worth it. The prayers of saints are spiritual medicine and help us pray in communion with those alive in Christ. It's become a treasured ritual for me at night (not to mention in the morning, too). Last thing you should do during the day is pray and the first thing you should do when you wake up is pray. Pray pray pray.
3. As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, here's my obligatory Jesus prayer recommendation. With my prayer rope grasped in my hand, I say the Jesus prayer. However, you shouldn't just repeat it over and over mindlessly. You have to focus your mind and bring it down to your heart and genuinely it takes effort. Because you can just say it over and over while your mind wanders to various thoughts. No, you have to consciously quiet your mind and bring it down to your heart to see spiritually. It literally fills like you're lifting a heavy weight to do it. It's very hard to do it. Yet, falling asleep trying to while fervently repeating the Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me) is pleasant because you are falling asleep in the arms of the One Who is Lord of peace and rest.
These three things have been monumental to my sleep. I can't wait to get in bed and sleep because I fall asleep consciously in the presence of Jesus Christ with His angels standing beside me, crushing the heads of the pernicious serpents.
this is excellent advice. I really enjoyed the 3rd point too. I try to do the Jesus Prayer a lot before sleep too but I don't do it with much grit and often get distracted very quickly. Thanks for reading Samuel!
I love how you address all the nuances of sleep. Sometimes sleep is affected by too much caffeine right before bed. Yes! Sometimes it is anxiety or neurodivergent brains struggling to settle. Yes! Sometimes it is spiritual attack. Yes! Your thoughtful awareness of how complicated sleep can be is truly helpful. I find box breathing gets me in the zone, or writing haiku. I try to read something roughly as interesting as the letters of John and Abigail Adams before bed because if I tell myself I am capable of "just one more chapter" of Agatha Christie, I am guaranteed to stay up until 2 am.
Thanks so much Abigail! Iāve found that most people who talk about this subject tend to lean way more toward one end (natural or supernatural) but neglect the other. And Agatha Christie would keep me wide awake! Haha thereās no way I could pull that off
So true how we fall into the false dichotomy of natural/supernatural (about many topics). Since we are made of mind, body, soul, and spirit, often our problems and solutions are multi-faceted. Really enjoyed your reflections on sleep.
So funny, I just wrote a piece on sleep tips last week š I love the list of how other saints throughout history battled sleeplessness, I may have to try some!
I have also struggled through seasons of insomnia and have found much of what you shared helpful. I think for me the biggest thing is that I just donāt try to force it. For me what is worse than the not sleeping is the anxiety about not sleeping. If I can convince my brain not to go down the anxious pathway (Iām not always successful) then I usually find myself falling back asleep.
Ooooo this is fascinating. I've had OCD and connected sleep troubles since I was a kid and my own extreme difficulty with regulating my sleep when I had my first is, I'm convinced, the primary reason I developed PPD (note to others - this is not inevitable. Prioritize sleep)! I do think there is often a spiritual issue involved when sleeplessness is a chronic issue, but not always a demonic one. Sometimes it's as simple as struggling to trust God.
I'm interested in what others say here but CBT has never been all that helpful for me. The Jesus prayer ("Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" - very similar to the prayer you use) has truly been the best help for me when I struggle with anxiety and that lack of trust. Also reading something light-hearted before bed as Katie mentioned.
Very interfggesting to know and I really apgpreciate you sharing (and will definitely keep that in mind for the future)!
CBT for sleep has helped me a bit, but nowhere near as much as the rest of this stuff (the surrendering to God; prayer; relinquishing worries to Him; etc). And reading fiction before bed is crucial for me too. Thanks for reading Kelly!
I love the list of sleep remedies - I especially love the Greek alphabet idea (now if only I knew it). I have struggled with sleep a long time, as well. My husband can fall asleep in about 10 seconds and also has no problem the next day if he has less sleep than normal. When I get less than 6 or 7 hours, I'm a wreck. You can imagine how my mental health went once I had small children. It's part of why I absolutely had to stop following crunchy parenting influencers who seemed beyond blase about sleep. I put in some serious boundaries and only then did things improve! That being said, there's some inevitability to sleeplessness as a parent, and probably also if you're not! A while back I had a great opportunity to produce a piece about sleeplessness nights and the nightmares, dreams, hopes, poetry, et all they inspire. https://www.goethe.de/prj/tbp/en/eps/thn.html
Nowadays, my rituals tends to be - kids in bed no later than 830 (ideally). Phone off/devices off by 9 (unless husband and I are watching a movie). Hot shower, Gregorian or Byzantine chant, a page or two of the Gospels, 'fun' reading (only fiction at night, often something light), and I usually sleep holding a rosary and drift off saying Hail Marys in my head. I'm usually out by 11 and up by 6 and feel okay. Sleeping pills and melatonin have sometimes been necessary but I can't stand the morning grogginess so I try to avoid when I can.
Thanks for thinking on this topic, Griffin - it's important, and yes very impactful to our spiritual lives!
A truly beautiful poem! Also love the audio aspect as well, definitely ups its coolness for sure. My wife and I also do strictly fiction reading before bed. Any sort of theological or nonfiction reading would just keep my brain working too much.
Thanks so much for sharing this Katie! Iām so happy you enjoyed!
"Most of my sleep struggles are due to anxiety struggles." You and me both, man. I'm such a chronic insomniac that it has, on a couple occasions, affected my safety on the road. I don't understand people who can just lie down and fall asleep, but I envy them: I'm 100% in the camp of "not being able to turn my brain off" when I get into bed, whether it's general lowgrade stress about life, trying to plan for stuff that's coming up, overthinking stuff I've already done, or mounting paranoia related to nothing at all. (Anxiety is fun.) This was such a helpful post, and I loved how you reframed the conversation in terms of the spiritual life. I've been trying to work on my sleep hygiene, but I always think of it in terms of modern health culture, or future productivity--"if I don't sleep, I'll be less effective at X and Y and won't be able to do as much the next day", rather than as a human rhythm through which we can offer ourselves to God. I've started trying to 1) journal 2) practice some form of contemplative prayer (like the Examen) and then 3) read for a while before bed, (as well as cutting back on coffee š), and it DOES help, but it also feels like so much work for something that should just be "a normal thing that people are supposed to be able to do"?? I guess all habits are like that, though: eating well or exercising well or praying well...it does take work.
Ugh I am so sorry. Insomnia is trulllllyyyyy the worst. I do like that journaling and examen idea though! I havenāt made an effort to write anything before bed as of yet but that actually sounds kind of soothing.
Also! The worst change I had to make for sleep hygiene was pushing back caffeine until 90 minutes after waking up. Itās truly so hard, but it really has helped a ton. Only recommend it to those who are desperate though!
Can you elaborate more about pushing back caffeine 90 minutes waking?
between this and O. Alan Nobleās stuff about getting out of bed, the average evangelical substacker can now both get to sleep AND get up in the morning. Nothing can stop us now!
But actuallyā incredible work! What an important topic for believers. Appreciate the clarity on the demonic. I find it interesting the pockets of psychological study that simply canāt gain headway on things like sleep, and how often there is this spiritual layer underneath psychologyās lack of ability to fully comprehend these things.
lol that made me chuckle. and that last part is very true. Thanks so much for reading Graham!
Like others here, I will sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back to sleep. I had a great night of sleep last night, and when my alarm went off this morning, I started by praying and thanking God for such a good night's sleep...which led me to fall back to sleep for an hour. So I think I'll try thanking God for the many blessings in my life the next time I wake up in the middle of the night.
hahaha that is great!! I appreciate this comment so much.
Fellow insomniac here, and this was gratifyingly relatable. I've struggled with sleep since childhood, I think one of the most isolating things about insomnia is that you feel, well, isolated. Like you're the only person yearning for a place you just can't get to on a nightly basis. It's certainly very anxiety-inducing, which of course, makes the path to sleep completely inaccessible. I saw a video recently where a sleep psychologist recommended putting your "to-do" thoughts into mental file folders, one by one, because it gives your brain the room it needs to do its maintenance and clean up work in order to rest. Of course, I have to turn that into "prayer folders" because of course I do, but I do find that it helps. "That email goes into tomorrow's mental to-do folder and Lord give me the wisdom then to know how to respond, that writing assignment goes into next week's folder and Lord, help me find the words when the time comes, etc."
Anyway, thanks for this post. Really helpful.
Thanks so much for reading Glenna! The isolation really does feel scary. I love the idea of doing a mental file folder. I feel like that would help me out so much. Thanks for sharing (and reading)!
In recent years, I have become a āwake at 3am for no good reasonā kind of sleeper. A friend at church gave me the idea to name things that start with different letters from the alphabet when you brain starts to take off. For example, Iāll try to think of animals that starts with each letter of the alphabet and work my way through. By doing this, my brain doesnāt get the chance to start thinking on its own about all the things/ruminating/ etcā¦ and it forces it to just hone in on this one task. It slows my brain down and gets it back to sleepy mode and I usually fall back asleep somewhere around the letter āWā. Hope this is helpful for someone š
gosh that is such god advice! I need to employ something like this because my mind needs to feel occupied with something. Such great advice. Thanks so much Mackenzie!
Iāve struggled to fall asleep my entire life. I have the same problem quieting my mind. Thank you for this!
In recent years, I found something that has helped me tremendously. I listen to audiobooks when I fall asleep (with noise canceling headphones). Not every audiobook works - as you can imagine, some are too stimulating - but by trial and error, Iāve found the kinds that do. I got myself through the early stages of the pandemic by slowly listening to the historian Tom Hollandās āDominionā - an excellent book on history with a fantastic narrator.
If you try it, just be sure to set the program to a timer (I usually choose 90 minutes). You donāt want the audiobook invading your dreams.
I started this practice with an audio Bible (David Suchet reading the NIVUK version is a favorite as he has such a soothing voice).
I find that listening to an audiobook really quiets my anxious mind by distracting it. Itās hard to hear myself think with someone reading to me.
That is such a great idea!! On some nights when I canāt get my thoughts to stop racing, I play a podcast, but that sometimes keeps me stimulated because theyāre usually conversations. But I feel like one consistent audiobook narrator would be very soothing (poor Tom Holland though; I imagine he didnāt plan on dominion becoming a sleeper hit lol). Thanks so much for sharing Rebekah!
Thereās a good reason why sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture.
Great that you addressed the spiritual aspect, too! I think this is something we can overlook as parents if our children are having problems sleeping, for no apparent reason, or they are having nightmares.
So true. Thanks so much for reading Carol!!
Thanks for this thoughtful piece, Griffin. When theology gets practical, it's just the best.
I did some (much less thorough) thinking about this a few years ago, and came across a sermon by John Baillie on the theology of sleep that might be of interest to you - it's in his book Christian Devotions (OUP, 1962). It was a footnote in Tish Harrison Warren's Liturgy of the Ordinary that put me onto it.
Oh wow that sounds awesome! I'll definitely check that out. Thanks Gabriel!
This article put me to sleep!
*mic drop*
Jk this was lovely to read. I agree, it's strange how little we as Christians we have in terms of a theology of sleep. I was told stories of my dad seeing angels/demons before bed when I was little which caused sleep anxiety most of my life growing up. Probably need to talk about that in spiritual direction LOL.
Great job at balancing the spiritual powers at play with sleep, along with practical tips.
hahahahaha oh noooooo that sounds horrifying to hear as a kid. I'm so sorry. Thanks so much for reading Jenna!
I have severe insomnia. Have had it since high school. I have three solutions that worked for me:
1. Magnesium supplement (preferably magnesium glycinate if you haven't ever taken magnesium. It's remarkable. It relaxes you and gets you in the proper mood for sleep. Helps you rest well and wake up restful. The best part is it doesn't leave you groggy in the morning and helps you focus through the day, not to mention the benefits with bones, nerves, and general cognition).
2. I use my Eastern Orthodox prayer book. Before bed, I kneel before my icons, light a few candles, turn my big light off and only have my lamp lit, and quietly say the prayers. It's not a performance. God doesn't require anything. Just pray these prayers and spend time with the One Who brings peace and rest. Say all the prayers for the evening. Yes, it will take some time. However, it's worth it. The prayers of saints are spiritual medicine and help us pray in communion with those alive in Christ. It's become a treasured ritual for me at night (not to mention in the morning, too). Last thing you should do during the day is pray and the first thing you should do when you wake up is pray. Pray pray pray.
3. As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, here's my obligatory Jesus prayer recommendation. With my prayer rope grasped in my hand, I say the Jesus prayer. However, you shouldn't just repeat it over and over mindlessly. You have to focus your mind and bring it down to your heart and genuinely it takes effort. Because you can just say it over and over while your mind wanders to various thoughts. No, you have to consciously quiet your mind and bring it down to your heart to see spiritually. It literally fills like you're lifting a heavy weight to do it. It's very hard to do it. Yet, falling asleep trying to while fervently repeating the Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me) is pleasant because you are falling asleep in the arms of the One Who is Lord of peace and rest.
These three things have been monumental to my sleep. I can't wait to get in bed and sleep because I fall asleep consciously in the presence of Jesus Christ with His angels standing beside me, crushing the heads of the pernicious serpents.
Glory to God in the highest.
this is excellent advice. I really enjoyed the 3rd point too. I try to do the Jesus Prayer a lot before sleep too but I don't do it with much grit and often get distracted very quickly. Thanks for reading Samuel!
I love how you address all the nuances of sleep. Sometimes sleep is affected by too much caffeine right before bed. Yes! Sometimes it is anxiety or neurodivergent brains struggling to settle. Yes! Sometimes it is spiritual attack. Yes! Your thoughtful awareness of how complicated sleep can be is truly helpful. I find box breathing gets me in the zone, or writing haiku. I try to read something roughly as interesting as the letters of John and Abigail Adams before bed because if I tell myself I am capable of "just one more chapter" of Agatha Christie, I am guaranteed to stay up until 2 am.
Thanks so much Abigail! Iāve found that most people who talk about this subject tend to lean way more toward one end (natural or supernatural) but neglect the other. And Agatha Christie would keep me wide awake! Haha thereās no way I could pull that off
So true how we fall into the false dichotomy of natural/supernatural (about many topics). Since we are made of mind, body, soul, and spirit, often our problems and solutions are multi-faceted. Really enjoyed your reflections on sleep.
So funny, I just wrote a piece on sleep tips last week š I love the list of how other saints throughout history battled sleeplessness, I may have to try some!
No way thatās crazy! Iāll check out yours!
I have also struggled through seasons of insomnia and have found much of what you shared helpful. I think for me the biggest thing is that I just donāt try to force it. For me what is worse than the not sleeping is the anxiety about not sleeping. If I can convince my brain not to go down the anxious pathway (Iām not always successful) then I usually find myself falling back asleep.
Great point Chelsey! Totally agree. Itās insanely hard to pull off but such a worthy pursuit
Is it possible to leave a love on an article?
Is it possible that weāre secretly in love?
Ooooo this is fascinating. I've had OCD and connected sleep troubles since I was a kid and my own extreme difficulty with regulating my sleep when I had my first is, I'm convinced, the primary reason I developed PPD (note to others - this is not inevitable. Prioritize sleep)! I do think there is often a spiritual issue involved when sleeplessness is a chronic issue, but not always a demonic one. Sometimes it's as simple as struggling to trust God.
I'm interested in what others say here but CBT has never been all that helpful for me. The Jesus prayer ("Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" - very similar to the prayer you use) has truly been the best help for me when I struggle with anxiety and that lack of trust. Also reading something light-hearted before bed as Katie mentioned.
Very interfggesting to know and I really apgpreciate you sharing (and will definitely keep that in mind for the future)!
CBT for sleep has helped me a bit, but nowhere near as much as the rest of this stuff (the surrendering to God; prayer; relinquishing worries to Him; etc). And reading fiction before bed is crucial for me too. Thanks for reading Kelly!