What to do when you can’t sleep

It’s so frustrating, isn’t it?

You wake in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. Instead you toss and turn for hours. Or you can’t get to sleep in the first place. You just lie there worrying that you’ll be exhausted in the morning.

A long-term illness means I spend many night-time hours wide awake, my mind racing and my body aching. It’s infuriating!

Those small hours of the morning focus the mind—but the focus is you. Introspection reigns.

DON'T WASTE THE TIME

So what do you do if you’re awake when you don’t want to be? Naturally, I find my mind focuses on me. My worries, my busy-ness, my need to sleep! But that just makes things worse.

For me, the answer is to pray. Now that sounds dreadfully “holy” – but it grew from a pragmatic start. I needed to find a way to keep those night-time hours under control.

So now I ask my friends to tell me things I can pray for them. Nothing complicated—I don’t want to turn on a light to read a list. Short, simple requests that I can remember easily, and bring to mind when I’m awake.

All I do is think of a friend or colleague, and start to pray for them.

It’s a very simple idea (I’m ashamed it took me so long to think of it) but it’s made a huge difference. My focus is moved away from myself and towards others. I’m reminded that God, who also doesn’t sleep(!), is with me and hearing my prayers.

TIME WELL SPENT

And instead of those waking hours feeling like a waste of time, they become time well spent. That in turn reduces the frustration, which is sometimes enough to lull me back to sleep.

It’s a very simple idea, but for me it works. Next time you’re awake when you don’t want to be—why not try it?

And, if you’ve found times that can be well-spent praying for others instead of thinking about yourself—please put them in a comment below, so I can learn from them!