Wellness Wednesday—Go to Sleep
A couple of years ago we moved to Atlanta to be closer to our children and six grandchildren, who range from ten to one years old. Being closer allows us more interaction with them, and as they grow, we want to be a positive influence for Jesus in their lives. These are busy families, and it seems like our grandkids are always on the go. On occasion we have the privilege of “grandparent duty,” which can involve watching over them. This usually includes playtime, reading, maybe feeding, and getting them to bed. At times it can be exhausting to try to keep up with them, especially if they’re spending the night at our home.
Here’s the point of me saying all this. Having the responsibility to care for others can be fatiguing, while at the same time offering deep satisfaction and joy. The exhaustion we sometimes experience with our grandchildren reminds us why God allowed us to have our children when we were younger. Right now, these kiddos are up before the crack of dawn, ready for breakfast and entertainment. Personally, it makes me grateful for coffee! Through it all, we know we are making memories with them, and investing in their lives.
On the occasional overnight stays what often suffers is sleep. We go to bed tired, and that’s how we wake up. I have learned the value of a good night’s sleep dare not be underestimated. In fact, medical professionals say that sleep is an integral part of good health and general well-being. Studies have shown that many Americans do not get sufficient sleep. We need an average of 7-8 hours of sleep per night to be at our best. Lack of sleep can lead to a dramatic decline in a person’s ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. Personal experience has taught me this when I mistook liquid styptic for eyedrops one early morning. Not only was it an awakening, but my eyes were burning and bloodshot for a week.
People who are sleep-deprived often experience drowsiness, irritability, lack of concentration, and impaired judgment. We are told that sleep deprivation compromises the immune system, making it more difficult to fight off infection, and that over time sleep deprivation can result in significant mood swings and erratic behavior, or worse yet, dangerous consequences, such as car accidents. We even become more vulnerable to the temptations the devil throws in our path when we are sleep-deprived.
The Harvard Health blog reports, “Previous research has linked poor sleep with higher risks of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and depression. How might sleep affect memory? People who are persistently sleep-deprived are more likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, and narrowed blood vessels. Each of these can decrease blood flow inside the brain. Brain cells need a lot of oxygen and sugar, so blood flow problems could affect their ability to work properly.” Simply put, sleep is an integral part of wellness!
God has given us this gift of sleeping in order to renew our bodies on a regular basis. The Psalmist writes, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest eating the bread of anxious toil; He gives to his beloved sleep” (Ps 127:2). He has created us in such an awesome and unique way that daily sleep is actually healthy. Sleep “re-charges” our batteries to renew our strength and energy. Not only does it impact our physical body, but it also benefits our mental acuity and enables us to better deal with whatever situations life might bring our way. Amazingly, sleep can also impact our spiritual life. When we fail to get enough sleep we often begin to neglect our relationship with God. However, when we are well rested the world seems like a better place. Sleep is a wonderful gift from our God that not only soothes our physical body and rest our minds from anxious toil and from all the stresses of life, but also can draw us closer to God as we rejoice in all His gifts.
Good sleep takes some discipline. It means making a schedule and sticking to it. It involves having a plan in place. The goal is to make getting enough sleep a regular part of life and recognize what a gift God has given us in our slumber! This much I know, after the past few weeks on grandparent duty, as fun as it was, I’m looking forward to catching up on my sleep!
Working to get healthy with you,
Greg Walton
LCEF VP Grace Place Ministry
For more about Greg, https://lcef.org/meet-our-ministry-solutions-team/