A dangerous enemy lurks inside many homes and only comes out at night. How does it lure its prey? It entices them to stay up late at night, bingeing on television shows, social media, and junk food. It’s easy to think late nights are a good way to relax; however, the opposite happens.
While it’s not a big deal to fall victim to staying up late occasionally, it could lead to exhaustion and poor health when it happens often. If someone fails to get enough rest, the person they are hurting the most is themselves.
According to the CDC, a lack of sleep may lead to several health problems, including:
- Feeling tired all the time
- Attention and memory problems
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Depression
Physical exhaustion is God’s way of saying slow down. So, Jesus offers this invitation to rest in Matthew 11:28-30:
Jesus invites the weary to come to Him and find rest. Spending time with the Lord in prayer and reading the Bible is vital for a person’s spiritual health—getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for a person’s physical health.
Each person is responsible for doing what they can to be healthy. After all, a healthy lifestyle is the result of hundreds of small daily decisions made day after day. If one develops good health habits—like getting enough rest at night—their bodies respond. But they suffer consequences if they fall into bad habits like staying up too late.
To help, here are a few ways to get a good night’s sleep:
- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
- Remove electronic devices from the bedroom.
- Avoid large meals and caffeine before bedtime.
- Be active during the day to help with sleep at night.
When physical or spiritual batteries are running low and energy begins to wane, instead of burning the midnight oil, accept Jesus’ invitation to find rest from the weariness. Then after spending time in God’s Presence, turn off the lights and go to bed! And find a coach in the New Life Coaching Network who can help.
by Steve Arterburn
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